Hold Onto Me
by Nolegirl97
Summary: AU: Olivia is fresh out of college with an internship at a prestigous advertising agency, but stuck in a rut with her boyfriend, Edison. Fitz is at a crossroads in his life as he tries to gain independance from a forced engagement to Mellie. This is my first fan fiction... based off of my music taste.
1. Drunk In Love

**Hi. This is my first fanfic EVER so please be brutal in your reviews ;) I'll tell you upfront that I have never written in this capacity before so please tell me what I can improve on plot wise and writing wise. (I figured that fan fiction would be a nice way to test the waters). **

**The source of inspiration is the songs that I choose for each chapter. You will find that my music tastes ranges from awkwardly white girl to baby making music, so bear with me. **

**To give you background, this is an AU with Olivia Pope 22 and just graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in advertising. Fitz is 30 and a San Francisco Lawyer (Stanford Alum).**

**This is a warning that this story will probably turn tragic at some point (just a prediction based on my tendency to lead towards emotional songs) so be prepared. This chapter will just be fluff though:)**

Drunk in Love [ft. Jay Z]

We woke up in the kitchen saying  
"How the hell did this shit happen?" oh baby  
Drunk in love, we be all night  
Last thing I remember is our  
Beautiful bodies grinding off in that club  
Drunk in love

* * *

Olivia winced as the tequila painfully slid down her throat. She hated hard liquor. She hated purposefully getting drunk. But tonight was different. She glanced over to see Abbey laughing at the expression on her face.

"Just get used to the fact that you'll never get used to it." her carrot-topped, freckle-faced friend slurred. Olivia suspected that Abbey had gotten a head start while she had slipped into the bathroom when they first arrived to the club. Abbey slapped her hand on the counter and demanded two more shots—which the bartender gladly obliged.

When they downed their third, Olivia didn't even taste it. Her head swam as a goofy smile crept on to her face. Abbey recognized the expression and grabbed her wrist as they pranced over to the dance floor.

/

Fitz downed the remainder of his scotch and leaned back in his seat. As he observed the scene before him, he felt a little foolish. He had come to one of the hippest night clubs in the whole bay area in the foulest mood. He didn't even want to think about his father and the conversation they had an hour earlier.

Fitz watched the crowd's mood change as the DJ put on a slower grinding song, scanning the floor for anyone worth his night. He had become so bitter towards the female sex since his relationship with Mellie went south. _Mellie_. Another topic he didn't care to think about tonight.

Just as he raised his hand to signal the bartender, his eyes locked with hers. The most beautiful doe-eyes he had ever seen. His eyes traveled down her face to catch a coy smile. He didn't realize his mouth was gaping open until the bartender brought him down to earth.

"Another scotch, sir?"

"Yeah, yeah… uh, thank you." Fitz shook his head to clear his thoughts and immediately turned to scan the dance floor. There she was, unlike anything he had ever seen. He unashamedly checked her out. Her feet were bare, and her legs were slender. The way that her white dress clung to her ass had his groin tightening with every swing of her hips.

The bartender returned with his scotch and he downed it in one gulp then slid a generous tip to the bartender and made his way to her.

/

The song faded into a familiar tune. Olivia excitedly turned to Abbie who was currently getting her ear sucked off by a random guy. They excitedly waved their hands at each other to signify that they recognize their song.

"I been drankin', I been drankin" boomed out of the speakers as a set of firm hands wrapped around her waist. Olivia felt a warm body press behind her and she turned her head to find the tall handsome man that she had noticed at the bar.

"Fitz" he breathed into her left ear.

"Olivia" she smiled back.

They grinded with her ass against his groin and belting out the lyrics with the rest of the song. As the Jay Z verse flowed out of the speakers, Fitz turned her around to where they were dancing face to face. Her hands automatically went to his thick curly hair and started twirling the hair at the nape of his neck. He sieged her plump lips in his, biting, sucking, sliding his tongue in and out. The tequila on her breath almost threw him over the edge.

Her chocolate skin drove him wild. He knew he couldn't last much longer. When she moaned from his touch, he grabbed her ass tighter and pressed her hips into his growing erection, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

By the time the song ended, they were in a cab headed to Fitz's apartment.

As she slipped her heels off of her feet, he was immediately on her. He picked her up by her thighs and swiftly carried her to his bedroom. When he set her on his bed, she looked up at him with the most delicious smile on her face.

"Take off your clothes"

Done.

With Fitz completely naked and she was in her white lingerie, It took Fitz a second to catch his breath before pouncing. His tongue was already driving Olivia insane as he sloppily licked and kissed his way down her torso, until he reached her thong. Scraping his teeth against her skin, he grabbed the thing with his teeth and slid it down her legs.

"Oh my, Livvie. Are you wet for me?"

Fitz inserted one finger into her sex painfully slow causing Olivia to moan deeply and squirm for more. Fitz found a smooth rhythm as he unhooked her bra and deftly took a nipple into his mouth. He could tell Olivia was in maximum pleasure as he passionately sucked on her lower lip causing her to moan into his mouth.

As he slipped a second finger into her, she arched her back and yelled out. He could tell she was close so he growled into her ear, "Come for me, Livvie." When she unraveled with her orgasm, he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked with her eyes closed in pleasure.

After she rode her orgasm out, she opened her eyes and stared into the deep cerulean eyes staring at her with the most animalistic lust in them. She immediately reached for his bulging cock, but he stayed her wrist before she could do anything.

"All in good time, sweet baby"

Fitz's response elicited a whimper from Olivia as she gyrated her hips into him

"I need you… in me… now," she pleaded.

Fitz couldn't resist as he slipped his shaft into her without warning causing a loud gasp. After staying in her for a couple seconds, and relishing the feeling of her walls clamping around him, Fitz slowly started to pump in and out. As Olivia dragged her fingernails across his back, he picked up the pace, meeting her demand for more.

"Open your eyes" Fitz growled into her ear.

Olivia struggled for a second to gain control of her eyelids, then slowly opened them.

"I want to see you come"

With that, he lifted her leg above his shoulder for better leverage and hit her in the right spot, causing her body to tip over the edge. Fitz followed soon after, leaving them panting in pure bliss.

* * *

**Okay, I would like your criticism. This is the first time I have ever written anything remotely steamy. Was it too boring? Do I need to shorten it some, or add more description? This was just a sexy introduction, the next chapter will be getting into their daily lives. **


	2. She's Got You High

**Oh, wow. Your reviews were awesome. I have a feel of what I need to work on, and my gratitude is eternal. **

She's Got You High—Mumm-Ra

She's got you high and you don't even know yet  
She's got you high and you don't even know yet  
It's the search for the time before it leaves without you  
Have you lost your mind or has she taken all of yours too?  
What's this about? I figured love would shine through  
We've lost romance this world has turned so see through  
Open your mind, believe it's going to come to  
Romance alive and hope she's going to tell you

* * *

When Olivia woke up naked in a strange bed with a splitting headache her heart started pounding. She tried to fight her morning grogginess to piece together the previous night. Graduation, a fight with Edison, Abbey convincing her to go out and celebrate, tequila, tequila, _tequila_, dancing, Beyoncé, _Fitz. _

She gasped as she noticed the arm protectively wrapped around her tummy. He was lying on his stomach with the sheets barely covering his ass. His head was turned and facing her, and his face was adorably peaceful—deep in his sleep.

Olivia's mind kicked into crisis management mode. First, fix this hangover. Second, well, her mind couldn't make it that far. She gingerly slid out of his grasp and slipped into his shirt from last night.

She tiptoed into his kitchen area, admiring the mod décor of the apartment. The perfect bachelor pad with black and white minimalism. She rummaged through his cabinet before finding a cup and filling it up with water. Three glasses of water later, her headache subsided to a bearable level. She headed back to the bedroom, still processing the previous night.

She couldn't remember any legitimate conversation between the two of them last night. She wasn't sure what to expect when Fitz woke up. Would he brush her off? Would he try to start a serious relationship? Shit, what type of guy was Fitz? Judging by his apartment, he had money, but was he a gentleman? She had never had a one night stand like this. She was a chaste girl in high school and had maintained a steady relationship throughout undergrad school with Edison. _FUCK _– Edison.

She found herself standing at the foot of Fitz's king sized bed. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. _I just cheated on my boyfriend._ She couldn't move. She wasn't this type of girl. The worst part of it all was that she didn't feel any regret. Edison had acted like a dick the night before, throwing an egotistical hissy fit, and embarrassing her in front of her mom. In return she went out and found Fitz. Edison never got the response out of her that Fitz did last night. She didn't know that sex could be so… mind blowing.

Fitz stirred, interrupting her inner monologue. She made a snap decision and moved to crawl back in bed with him. He moaned subconsciously as she slid back underneath his arm. She took this time to admire his body.

Fitz's muscular form was illuminated in the morning sun. His curly brown hair fell victim to bed head as it stuck out in every direction. She noticed the 10 scratch marks on his back and realized that had been her doing. Her fingers instinctively flew to her neck where she felt her skin raw from his love marks.

"Hi"

Olivia turned into the most crystal blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Hi"

"How long have you been awake?"

"About 10 minutes"

"Hungry?" Fitz leaned in for a kiss

"Mmhmmm" Olivia muttered against his lips. Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, he hopped out of the bed and went to put on a fresh pair of boxers.

Olivia followed him into the kitchen and sat on a stool and watched him prepare their breakfast.

"I hope you like scrambled eggs and toast, because that's all I can do."

"That's perfect"

After a moment of comfortable silence, Fitz decided initiate the conversation. He was just as unsure as Olivia about how to act about their situation. Sure he had one night stands before, but not since his college days. Plus, no other girl had given Fitz this nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. He awkwardly scraped the eggs against the skillet before speaking.

"So what's your story?"

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked, startled.

"I'm sorry, did that sound like something out of a cheesy romance movie?"

"Yeah, kinda." Olivia laughed

"Sorry" Fits mumbled and looked down at the eggs. Olivia noticed his ears turning red. She found it absolutely adorable.

"I'm twenty-two, graduate of UC Berkeley—as of last night—majoring in advertising, minoring in art history. I was born and raised in Los Angeles by my mother, Maya Pope. Father, Eli Pope, deceased…" Olivia's voice filled with emotion for a brief second before she changed the subject, "I enjoy old movies, snuggling on the couch, and long walks on the beach" she added with a hint of playful sarcasm.

Fitz smiled as the toaster dinged. He took the toast out and scooped the scrambled eggs onto two plates. Sliding a plate across the counter, he leaned against the counter taking a bite out of his toast.

Olivia eyed him expectantly, "Yours?"

"My what?"

"Your background?"

Fitz moved to pour her a glass of orange juice.

"Hmm… well certainly not as interesting as yours" he winked, "Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Stanford Alumni, Law school, thirty years old… Father, Gerry Grant, and mother, Elizabeth Grant—divorced. I have a younger sister, Caroline. She is getting her master's degree at UT Austin."

He almost mentioned Mellie. _Almost_. He didn't want to ruin what they had going.

Olivia studied the expression on his face. She was very good at reading people's faces. She sensed there was something he wasn't telling her.

Before thinking she blurted, "Girlfriend?"

Fitz almost choked on a gulp of orange juice. His ears returned to their reddened state. Olivia didn't have a shocked face, more of a curious one.

"Fiancé." He muttered, lowering his gaze.

"Fiancé?" Olivia's heart sank. So that's how it was going to be. She chided herself for being so optimistic. She pushed her half eaten eggs away and went to the bedroom to retrieve her clothes.

"Olivia, wait!" Fitz called, chasing her. He cursed himself under his breath as he caught up with her. "It's not what you think…" He lowered his voice, trying to explain his situation.

"What else is there to think?" her indifferent tone stung. "You are getting married. I understand. I enjoyed last night, and I don't regret it. I might in a couple of days, but at this moment I'm happy it happened. I'm not a home-wrecker. I am not that girl that gets in the ways of a—" She felt herself rambling. She tried to control the tremor of nervousness in her voice, but she felt herself failing. "Anyways, the point is, you're engaged, and I actually have a boyfriend. So it is pretty obvious what needs to happen here."

"You have a boyfriend?" Fitz's eyebrows raised.

"Yes, I uh. I guess I do." Olivia felt the color rising to her cheeks. She tried to busy her hands by gathering her clothes. Suddenly she felt his hands wrap around her wrists. They were large and gentle. Fitz's face softened as he quietly whispered, "Just let me explain myself. Mellie and I, well, we aren't engaged. I mean, we are 'technically' but only in the sense of the word."

Olivia was unconvinced. She was stupid enough not to get involved with an engaged man, no matter how mind blowing the previous night was.

"Just come finish your breakfast and let me explain completely."

Olivia sighed as she nodded weakly and led the way into the kitchen. The truth was that she didn't want to have to go back to her apartment and face Edison.

Once they were back in their original chairs, Fitz began his real life story.

"My father owns a large company that drills for oil along the coast of Texas. He is one of those asshole, control-your-offspring fathers that thinks he can manipulate me into fulfilling his dream."

"And what would that dream be?"

"A state senator, and eventually president."

Olivia's eyes widened slightly as he continued, "Part of this 'dream' is to build me a perfect public image. What could be better than a marriage to a senator's daughter? Well, that's where Mellie Jameson comes in. She's smart, pretty, and _was_ pleasant. It pleased my father greatly when we started to date. Then, he started throwing money and favors towards her to corner me into marriage. The funny thing is that I never proposed, my dad just told me a week ago. I guess after a couple of months of our relationship souring and me trying to break it off, Mellie went to Big Gerry desperate for a sign of commitment."

"So are you going to marry her?" Olivia found this whole situation bizarre.

"No." Fitz said a little more forcefully than he wanted to. "She went on a girl's trip to the Bahamas. She comes home tomorrow… I'm going to break it off with her. There is no way in hell I'm going to marry her."

Fitz studied Olivia's face. God, she's beautiful. Even with her morning hair and last night's makeup. He saw the caution in her face. She was just as confused about what to do as he was.

"I have a boyfriend…Edison. Edison Davis. We met halfway through my freshman year in college. He was a sophomore. He is starting grad school in the fall. He wants to be an architect. I wish I had an excuse for why we were together, but…"

Olivia had never felt so foolish. Her clear head was coming back to her as she remembered to check her phone. She got up to go find her clutch from the previous night. Her phone had three messages.

**Mom:** I'm treating you to lunch… meet me at Pearson's Deli at 12? Love you and so proud of you.

**Abbey:** Where did you go last night? Please tell me you went home with that guy on the dance floor

**Edison:** Hey, I'm sorry. Let me explain in person. Lunch?

She replied to her mom confirming their lunch date and sent a cheeky "no comment" back to Abbey. She couldn't deal with Edison right now as she slipped her phone back into purse.

"I have to go. I am meeting my mom for lunch, and I need to get back to my apartment to shower."

"Shower here." Fitz said with a panty-dropping crooked smile.

Olivia burst into giggles. She wanted to so bad, but she knew where it would lead. "As tempting as that sounds, I really have to go…" She retreated into the bedroom to take his shirt off and put her dress back on. When she gathered her things, Fitz called a cab to send her home.

It wasn't until she was emptying her clutch in her apartment that she saw a folded yellow piece of paper fall to the ground. She picked it up and read it

Can I take you to dinner Friday?  
(415) 246-9784.  
-Fitz

She smiled as she put the number in her phone and slid the note in to her nightstand's drawer.

/

Fitz couldn't even focus on his laundry. He forgot to put the detergent in and had to do his whites twice. All he could think about was her. Her plump lips. Her black hair splayed across the pillow next to him. The way she smelled of coconut and the beach. The washer dinged, pulling Fit out of his blissful daydream.

He HAD to see her again. Big Gerry, Mellie, and his stupid plan be damned.

/

Olivia grinned as she saw Maya Pope sitting at a sidewalk table at their favorite lunch place. Maya Pope was texting furiously into her iphone with her brow furrowed in frustration. She was wearing a lavender sun dress with a cream blazer. Olivia was always teased by her guy friends because of how beautiful her mother was. She truly looked ten years younger than 48. Maya set her phone down to see her daughter approaching her. Her expression of annoyance immediately dissolved into happiness.

"Olivia, my baby!" she exclaimed, kissing her on the cheek.

"Trouble at work?" Olivia assumed that's what the text message was about.

"A client just got caught with his pants down… It is fine" Maya Pope ran one of the most prestigious PR firms in Los Angeles. She handled an impressive list of celebrities and other affluent clients. "But let's talk about _you_. My baby is all grown up and graduated from college!" Her face radiated with pride.

They chatted comfortably while they ate their lunch. Olivia skipped the stereotypical love-hate teenager relationship with her mom in high school. Her dad died in a car crash when she was fourteen, and her mother was the only person who understood her through those times.

Olivia explained her summer internship at an Ad firm, and her plans to move across the bridge to San Francisco once her lease was up in July.

"What about Edison?"

Olivia sighed. "What about him?"

"Well, he made it pretty clear last night that you were going to move in with him. Is that what you want?" Last night after the commencement ceremony, Edison had announced Olivia was definitely moving in with her—something she never agreed to—prompting a verbal fight.

"No... I'm not ready for it. I know we have been together for almost four years, but I just don't want to. He's been getting very needy lately. Always trying to bring up the future with me. I just feel so cornered. I should want to move in with him, shouldn't I? I mean, that's what girlfriends of four years do, right?"

Maya carefully watched her daughter. The conflict was obvious. Her daughter didn't love Edison. She was just in the relationship out of comfort and convenience. Maya pitied Edison. He really was a nice boy, with a proper upbringing. He would make some girl very happy one day, but she could tell that that girl wasn't Olivia.

"Don't let him pressure you into something you aren't ready for." Maya spoke up as she reached across the table and took Olivia's hand in hers. "But you also need to figure out if you want to be serious with Edison. It is obvious that he is planning on eventually marrying you. That boy is in love with you. It isn't fair to string him along."

Olivia knew her mother was right. She enjoyed Edison's company. He treated her like a lady, and the sex wasn't bad. She was just having a hard time imagining being married to him, or even living in the same apartment.

When they finished their sandwiches and salads, Olivia drove Maya to her hotel room to pack up her stuff and then to the airport. Her tricky client caused her to catch an earlier flight back to her office. When it was time to board her plane, Maya pulled Olivia into a tight hug and whispered, "I trust you'll make the right decision" into her ear.

/

Fitz plopped into his chair at his office. Even though it was Saturday, he had some paperwork to send off. Just as he pulled some files out from his cabinet, he felt his phone buzz. He read the text about five times to make sure he wasn't imagining it.

_Friday will work  
-Liv_

* * *

**Well, there's part II. Please leave your comments. I didn't expect to have anybody follow/fav these, but you guys are awesome! **


	3. Human

**I hope you had a wonderful mother's day, I know I did!**

**This is so addictive! I am going to be writing as many chapters as possible while I'm still in the "honeymoon stage" of this haha. This chapter took me a bit longer, because I had to sort of plan ahead with what is coming in the next couple of chapters. I never realized how much the reviews meant to the author until I started writing this. You guys rock! Your reviews are what is keeping me so excited about this, so thank-you!**

Human—Ellie Goudling

Human, behave yourself  
You have burst at the seam  
Let it all fall out, open your mouth  
Often I lie wide awake, think of things  
I can make but I don't seem to have  
The parts to build them

Human, I wonder why you're a better make  
Than I could ever build or create  
You know not love or hate  
I am so scared of what will kill me  
In the end for I am not prepared

* * *

Fitz sighed as he leaned back in his chair and checked his watch for the umpteenth time. 10:56. In four minutes Mellie's plane was to be expected down the runway. He was planning on picking her up, dropping her off at her apartment, and quickly shattering any illusion she had of their engagement. The sooner the better.

He did not sleep at all the previous night. All he could think about was Olivia and their date. He wasn't sure if he could make it until Friday. It actually frightened Fitz how much she occupied his thoughts. No other woman had ever held this much influence over him. Fitz tried to occupy his mind by checking his emails on his phone. It was Sunday, so there weren't many business ones. As he was in the middle of replying to his mother, promising a summer visit to her home in Santa Barbara, he heard a piercing voice. Probably the one voice he wouldn't mind never hearing again.

"Fitzy!" Mellie exclaimed as she power walked over to him, flanked by two of her spoiled, spray tanned, socialite friends. Fitz couldn't remember their names for the life of him.

"Hi, Mellie." He curtly replied.

One of her posse was tall and lanky with an angular blonde bob and was wearing ridiculously huge sunglasses, given they were inside. "Hello, Fitzgerald" she breathed, leaning into him. Fitz muttered a greeting and backed away. He just wanted to get this over with. The longer he hung around Mellie's friends the closer he was to going on a serial killing spree. Mellie looped her arm through his, but Fitz swiftly moved away from her and focused on picking her bag off of the baggage claim. Mellie bid her friends goodbye with exaggerated hugs and kisses on the cheeks, one of them giggling something along the lines of encouraging Mellie to enjoy her catch-up sex. Fitz's eyes rolled so far back he almost wished they would get stuck.

By the time they reached his car, Mellie was animated with the details of her trip. Fitz found it easier to drown her out the more time he spent with her. "Baby, why were you so rude to Carol back at the airport?" Her tone was quizzical as she toyed with the hem of her dress.

"Hmm." Fitz muttered half-listening.

"Now, Fitz. You barely even looked at her! You embarrassed me in front of my best friends. It is about time you started being more congenial to my friends. Oh, and guess what!" Mellie shifted giddily in her seat to look at Fitz. When Mellie realized that Fitz wasn't going to reply, she continued, "I asked her to be my maid-of-honor!" Her eyes were fixed on Fitz face, searching for a reaction.

"Is that so?" Fitz forced out. He really wanted to wait until they reached her apartment to break it to her, but she was really testing his patience.

Mellie picked up on his mood and fell back into her seat. The awkward silence was borderline unbearable by the time Fitz pulled into the parking garage next to her apartment.

/

Olivia scanned the bunches of bananas in front of her, trying to select the best bunch. When she had made her selection, she pushed her cart towards the crate of peaches. Abbey came bounding down the produce aisle with a tub of cookie dough ice cream.

"No! Go put that back, right now. I'm not paying for that." Olivia protested. Ever since Abbey and Olivia shared an apartment their junior year at Berkeley, they alternated monthly who paid for groceries. "Oh, come on, Liv. It's just ice cream." Abbey made a comical pouty face to further her argument.

"You know I ate my way through my finals last week. I'm not going to fit into my damn swimsuit this summer if you keep convincing me to buy deserts."

Abbey rolled her eyes, "Mr. Mystery sure didn't seem to mind the other night." _Mr. Mystery_. That's what Abbey coined him to be. Olivia knew it was a matter of time before Abbey brought him up. Noticing the color rise to Olivia's cheeks, Abbey pressed further, "Does he have a name?"

"No" Olivia brushed a container of spinach into her cart. She figured she might as well enjoy having the upper hand in this conversation. Abbey's curiosity would probably kill her before she let anything like this go. Olivia smiled innocently at her ginger friend. They were the epitome of the cliché that opposites attract. Where Olivia was polite and reserved, Abbey was abrasive and outgoing. Olivia was always bailing Abbey out of trouble with last minute assignments and boy trouble, and Abbey was always dragging Olivia away from her books and forcing her to live it up in her early twenties.

"Well, are you seeing him again?"

"Should I get the almond Honey Bunches of Oats, or the original flavor?"

"Ugh, Liv. Help me out here?" Liv couldn't suppress her grin. This was more fun than she thought. She kept her lips tight as she pushed the cart to the dairy section. After choosing her favorite brand of Greek yogurt, her phone buzzed. She fished her phone out of her purse and swiped the screen. Abbey studied her face for any hints. A brief smile flashed across her lips, before she remembered where she was and controlled her expression.

"Well, that couldn't be a text from Edison, could it?"

"Shut up." Olivia snapped out of good nature. Abbey beamed at her small victory. Just as she strained her neck to see whose name was flashing on Olivia's screen, Olivia snapped her phone into her purse and retrieved her store list. "Go get a bottle of olive oil and aluminum foil. I'll meet you at the checkout line."

Abbey rolled her eyes in an exasperated fashion and went off to find her groceries. This wasn't the last of this conversation. When Abbey was a safe distance away, Olivia pulled her phone back out to reread her text message.

**Fitz: **Friday seems too long to wait to see your pretty face again. Text me your address, so I know where to find you. Is 7 good?

/

Fitz ducked as a picture frame sailed over his head. As it crashed into the wall behind him he noticed the picture. It was two years ago when Mellie and him had just started dating. He had taken her to Muir Beach and had a picnic. They spent the whole day lying in the sand and swimming in the ocean. Fitz sighed. That was before she turned manipulative and downright bitchy. Before he realized that under her sweet southern accent lied cold ambition that would never be fully satisfied. She wanted to be First Lady, or at least a senator's wife.

"You can't DO this to me." Mellie's tone was low and menacing. This was when she was the most dangerous. When she raised her voice in anger she was vulnerable, but when she lowered it the result could be lethal.

"I don't know what lies Big Gerry has been whispering into your ear, but let me set your delusional mind straight. I am not running for the senate next year, and we sure as _hell_ are not engaged!" Fitz took a deep breath. He couldn't let his temper get the best of him.

Mellie gave a foreboding smile as she slowly walked across the room to where Fitz was standing. "I don't think you can wrap your pretty boy head around the fact that our union will benefit us both _greatly_. In fact, let's cut the bull shit and get to the reality of the situation. If you break off this engagement, our daddies won't be too pleased. I think we both know that Noah Jameson and Big Gerry Grant are not the type of people you want to make enemies of. Good luck running for so much as the local garbage man without me on your arm. It's about time you get your naïve, goodness-will-prevail mindset out of the clouds and realize that this is simply how it is going to be. The sooner you stop these childish games, the sooner we can _get on with it_."

Mellie put on her political wife face and picked an imaginary piece of lint off of Fitz's shirt and then smoothed out his shirt. Her hands slowly ran down his chiseled torso until her fingertips landed on his belt. Fitz started to see red as he snapped her wrists into his hands so harshly he heard Mellie gasp.

"Goodbye, Mellie," Fitz growled as he grabbed his keys and stormed out of her apartment.

Fitz slammed the door of his black Mercedes Benz Roadster. It had been a graduation present from his mother, and he couldn't imagine owning any other car. As the needle on the speedometer climbed, his mind raced faster. He wondered how he ever got sucked into the whole mess with Mellie. He wondered why he didn't tell Big Gerry and Noah Jameson to go to hell the second he caught a whiff of their plan.

For a while, Fitz played along with his father's master plan. In college, he was indifferent to the idea of politics. He went to law school, because that was what all of the sons of the affluent did, and it sounded a whole lot more appealing than medical school. Fitz had been practicing law for five years, and was on the fast track to being promoted to a junior partner at the firm he worked at. The more time he spent being a lawyer, the more he found his passion in it. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of personal accomplishment that was the product of his own efforts—not Big Gerry's. Fitz was perfectly content with his career, and the more comfortable he got the more repulsive politics sounded to him. He grew up in the thick of corrupt policy making as he watched Big Gerry bribe every major republican politician to get laws passed to benefit his oil rigs. Congressmen and even the Governor were frequent guests at his estate, but for the wrong reasons. Even if Fitz did run for office one day, he didn't want to do it under the stench of his father's name. Now that Fitz passed the age requirement to run for a seat in the senate, his father started contacting powerful politicians, lobbying them for their potential endorsements. Fitz had seen the measures his father went through to bypass environmental regulations in his business, and he had no doubt that Big Gerry could get him to Capitol Hill on shady back door dealings alone.

Fitz knew he was speeding 20 mph over the speed limit, but he didn't care. There was only one person he wanted to see, and that was Olivia. He chided himself for scheduling their date for Friday. It just seemed like a lifetime away. He wanted to drive to her apartment, take her skin into his arms, and love the fuck out of her. He wanted to taste her skin again. He wanted to feel her orgasm beneath him. He wanted to trace her curves with his fingertips and explore every single inch of her glorious body. He wanted to wake up with the sunlight illuminating her skin.

Fitz slammed on the brakes, causing his tires to skid, as he noticed the red light in front of him.

/

Olivia relished the rush of cold water encompassing every inch of her body. She dolphin kicked to the surface and started her freestyle stroke. Swimming was her release from school and stress. Her mother persuaded her to join her school's swim team in high school, and it was one of the best decisions of her life. Not only was it a way to stay in shape and work every muscle in her body, it was also extremely therapeutic. There was something about the way the cool water felt when is washed over her slender muscles that cleared her mind and allowed her to think rationally. When her head in the water, she was out of reach of any worldly distractions. She executed a perfect flip turn and pushed off of the wall.

Olivia knew she had to come up with a plan on how to deal with Edison and Fitz. She didn't want to act prematurely and break up with Edison. She didn't even know if Fitz was a safe bet. Was she overthinking their relationship? Hell, she had only spent one night with him, in which they were both _very _intoxicated. She couldn't throw her boyfriend of three and a half years away for a one night stand.

Olivia decided to go on her date with Fitz and see where it went from there. Olivia also knew that she couldn't be sloppy about Fitz either. Nothing would be worse than to loose Edison because he found out she was cheating on him. The thought of him taking her to dinner made her slightly uncomfortable. What if someone recognized her? What if Edison found out that she had been seen on a date with another man _in public_?

Olivia finished her warm up and alternated to swim her backstroke. As she glided on her back, her eyes were fixed on the ceiling of the pool room. She couldn't shake the image of Fitz's crooked smile. Fitz with his hair ruffled from sex. Fitz with his strong arms wrapping under her thighs and taking her to his bed…

/

Mercifully, the week sped by for Fitz. He was handed a major case at work, and that occupied his mind all week. Before he knew it, it was Friday and he was getting off of work. Fitz felt like a foolish teenager getting nervous before his first date. He showered and changed his outfit ten times. Fitz had carefully planned out their evening, making sure it was bulletproof.

When he pulled up in front of her apartment complex at 6:45, he noticed a small flower shop across the street. Fitz quickly darted across the street and bought her a small bouquet of tulips. 'Not too overwhelming, but a heartwarming gesture,' Fitz hoped.

Fitz rang the doorbell on her building and took the most nervous breath before she buzzed him in.

* * *

**Teeheee, this is fun. **

**I love how in the series Olivia is a swimmer, because that is something I can really connect to. **

**Review away, Gladiators!**


	4. Fire We Make

**Sorry this one took so long. My sister is graduating high school, and I am visiting her. I had to capture it**_** perfectly**_**. Anyway, enjoy this sultry Alicia Keys song.**

Fire We Make—Alicia Keys

With the fire we make  
It's getting hotter and hotter  
Like a moth to a flame  
I can't stay away  
From the fire we make  
It's getting higher and higher  
Like the night to the day  
I can't stay away

* * *

"Come in"

It took Fitz a couple seconds to process the words, because he found himself staring at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Olivia's hair was swept back in a low bun with a few loose tendrils curled by her ears. She was wearing a simple burgundy dress with spaghetti straps that crossed at her collarbone. The dress accentuated her waist as it flared out at her hips and grazed the top of her knees.

"I got you some flowers" Fitz stammered, still in awe of who was standing in front of him.

He bent down to kiss her on the cheek as he walked through the door, but she mistook his intentions and somehow their lips came crashing into each other. Once the initial moment of surprise had passed, Olivia moved her hands up Fitz chest to cup his face as he deepened the kiss. His arm wrapped around her waist and his cold fingertips were surprised to find skin as her dress was backless. He pressed her body against his, enjoying the feeling of her body molding against his

When they surfaced for air neither one of them wanted to break the silence. The goofiest grin was plastered across Fitz's face when Olivia backed away and noticed the flowers.

"Thank-you, they're beautiful." Olivia cleared her throat. "Let me find a vase to put them in, then we can go."

Olivia walked into her kitchen to gain a sense of composure. She delicately placed the pastel colored tulips in a vase and grabbed her purse before returning to Fitz. She found him looking though an assortment of picture frames.

"That's my roommate, Abbey." Fitz looked at a picture of them at the beach in bikinis that weren't exactly modest. His felt his pants tighten as he quickly looked away at the next picture.

"Your mother?" Fitz picked up the frame of a photograph with Maya and Olivia at what he assumed was her high school graduation. Maya was beaming with pride and love as she embraced a youthful, giddy Olivia.

"Well, now you know where I get my good looks from."

Fitz's muscles tensed as he noticed the next picture frame, set back behind the others. It was of her and Edison at some formal function. Edison was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her stomach and his lips pressed against her cheek. Olivia looked… happy. It pained Fitz to admit it, but he didn't really have the right to be mad. He was the intruder in the relationship.

Olivia followed his gaze and set a hand on his shoulder. When he turned to her, the look in her eyes concerned him. "What's wrong, Liv? Do you not want to do this? Because I don't want to make you do anything you don't want-"

Olivia silenced him with a brief kiss. "I want to do this. I am one-hundred percent aware of what I am entering into. I just think we should be smart and laying low for right now. I mean, what if someone would see us tonight?"

"Don't worry. I have that part handled." Fitz clasped her hand in his as he led her towards the door.

/

Fitz pulled up to a swanky restaurant. He handed his keys to the valet and circled the car to help Olivia out. He mentally patted himself on the back when he saw how impressed she was.

Olivia felt like she was in a dream. When they entered the restaurant a tuxedoed host recognized Fitz and led them to a dining room separated from where the other guests were dining. Fitz hand against the exposed small of her back as he led her to the table was the most welcome touch she had ever felt. She almost cried out when he withdrew it to pull her chair out. Once they were seated, Fitz ordered a wine that she would never be able to pronounce, and their waitress disappeared, leaving them alone in the dimly lit, spacious room.

"So you wait until now to tell me you are a celebrity?"

"The owner is a good friend of mine. Don't get used to this type of treatment. We'll be on a strict take-out and Netflix diet after this." Fitz slid his hand under the table and let it rest underneath the hem of her dress.

"Can't wait." Olivia breathed as he slowly slid his hand up further. He came dangerously close to her thong when the waiter came out with the wine. Fitz firmly kept his hand in place, but turned his attention to the glass of wine. Olivia tried to hide her obvious emotions as she drew the wine glass to her lips. To say that it best wine she had ever tasted was an understatement. Her mother took her to a vineyard in Napa Valley on her 21st birthday, but nothing there could ever compare. She swirled the cool, red liquid in her mouth, savoring the exquisite flavor. "Perfect choice, thank-you." She nodded to the waiter.

After Olivia ordered crab cakes, and Fitz ordered a steak, the waiter retreated. Fitz tried to engage her in a conversation about the internship she started Monday, but when he started to drum his fingers on the inside of her thighs, she gave up all hope of concentration.

"So, will you be participating in the creative side of advertisement, or dealing more with accounts." Fitz flashed a crooked smile when she struggled to respond. "What's wrong, Livvie? You seem distracted."

"You can either carry on with this conversation, or you can carry on with whatever you are trying to accomplish underneath my skirt, because my mind can only focus on one." She brought her wine glass to her lips and took a seductive sip.

"What an easy choice" Fitz whispered as he slipped his pinkie finger under the lacey fabric. Olivia suddenly jerked away, and looked up at the man approaching them. Fitz, annoyed, turned to see who the intruder was. His face immediately softened when he saw the familiar face.

"Huck! How are you? This is Olivia, the girl." Fitz stood and enclosed Huck's hand in his with a sturdy handshake. Huck was of stocky build with his dark hair closely cut. His face wore a tough expression and seemed emotionless, but his eyes were kind and gentle. Olivia could tell that he was a genuine man when he warmly shook her hand. "This is Huck. He owns the place."

"You have a beautiful restaurant," Olivia commended.

"Thank-you. Just wait until you try the food." Huck turned to Fitz. "I just wanted to drop by to say hey, and make sure everything went according to plan. I'll leave you two to enjoy your evening. It's good seeing you, Fitz."

"Likewise. Thanks for this, man. I owe you big time."

Huck retreated out of the room, leaving Fitz and Olivia alone again. Fitz wasted no time returning his wandering fingers to their original place.

"Huck's nice. How do you know him?"

"College buddies. He changed majors from pre-law to culinary and restaurant management. His parents weren't too happy about it. They threatened to cut him off, but I guess he turned out alright." Fitz joked.

They chatted comfortably until their meals came. The food was divine. Easily the best crab cake she had ever eaten. Olivia cut herself off after her second glass of wine. She wanted to be in her right mind to enjoy the evening properly. When they had finished their meals the waiter came out with the desert menus.

"I'm afraid I'm too full for any desert." Olivia sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"Madam, my boss _insists_ that you try the cannoli."

"Could you wrap two up for us then?" Fitz gathered their menus and handed them back to the waiter.

"Yes sir, I'll bring them right out." The waiter placed the check on the table and retreated.

"What is next on the schedule tonight?" Olivia traced small, delicate circles on the back of Fitz's hand. She ran a fingertip over a faint scar that ran from his wrist halfway up his thumb. She made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"I was thinking maybe we could go for a walk in a park, or whatever couples usually do on their first date." Fitz watched as she licked her lips and leaned in towards him. She was driving him insane, and she knew it.

"Or we could…" her voice trailed off into a coy smile. The dim lighting of the restaurant couldn't hide the playful gleam in her eyes.

"We could what?"

"Oh, forget it. A walk in the park sounds nice. Very…nice" By this point the waiter had returned with the cannolis in a neatly tied blue box. Fitz slapped a couple bills on the table and thanked the waiter. Olivia sensed his urgency and rose to leave.

Fitz hand found her ass as he led her out of the restaurant. 'Two can play this game,' Olivia thought as he helped her into his sports car. When he put the car into drive and drove onto the street, she slid her hand onto his thigh. She watched the way his jaw tightened as she slid her hand up closer to his erection at a tantalizing pace.

"Olivia," He growled, keeping his eyes on the road.

"What?" Olivia giggled as her fingers danced on his bulge. She could have sworn she heard him mutter "Fuck a walk in the park," as he accelerated towards his apartment. She could feel his cock twitching and fighting the fabric of his pants as she rubbed innocent circles with her index finger. She could feel the pool of moisture forming in her panties.

He parked the car without saying a word and they hastily made their way into the building. The sexual tension was explosive. The second the elevators closed, it was as if someone had dropped a match into a keg of gunpowder.

Fitz pulled Olivia against him and his hands immediately went into her dress. Olivia hitched her leg, rubbing her juices against his erect cock. Fitz wasted no time leading an assault on her lips. Biting, sucking, and slipping his tongue into her mouth. _God, she tastes so good_. She encouraged him by grabbing a fistfuls of his thick curly hair. He moved to her neck, leaving a fiery trail of kisses down to her shoulder. His hands were still wandering beneath her dress.

The elevator dinged open. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her down to his apartment door, still kissing her neck. When they were safely inside his apartment, he set her down.

"So much for that walk, huh?"

"I have something better in mind." Fitz picked Olivia up like a groomsman would his bride, and carried her to his bedroom. He set her down and turned her around so that her back was to him.

Fitz softly kissed her cheek and whispered, "Let me undress you" into her ear, causing her to whimper. Olivia, speechless, just offered a mere nod. Fitz took the opportunity to admire her back as he slid his hand down to the zipper. He placed chaste kisses along the crevice of her spine as he unzipped the dress.

When Fitz slid the straps of her dress off of her shoulders, causing it to slide to the floor, she shivered from the cold air. The only thing she had on was her thong and heels. Fitz was now on his knees, helping her step out of her heels. He took her thong off with his teeth at a tantalizing slow speed. She was practically panting at this point. He worked his way back up to her body, cupping her breasts and biting her neck.

When Fitz went to undress himself, Olivia laid down on the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows and spread her legs, giving Fitz a _very _good look of her wet pussy. She laughed at Fitz's gaping expression as he furiously tugged at his buttons and rid himself of his clothing. He pounced onto the bed, taking Olivia into his arms. He slid his thumb down to her clit and started rubbing circles, applying pressure. He watched as she purred beneath him from the pleasure. He slipped one finger into her. She cried out. He captured her lips in his, swallowing her moans.

When he inserted his second finger, she peaked. Her screaming his name was the most beautiful music he had ever heard. He watched her face as she rode out her sexual high. Her eyes squeezed shut and her mouth in a perfect "o" gasping for air. He wondered if she would ever not be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He kissed her jaw until her orgasm had finished, then started kissing a trail down her chest.

When he reached her breasts, she arched her back to give him better access. He smiled at her reaction, but only placed an innocent kiss on each nipple before continuing his path down towards her heat.

"Fitz" Olivia moaned. She had never had a guy eat her out before, and it was kind of terrifying to her. Fitz paused, sensing her hesitation.

He captured her eyes and breathed a comforting "trust me, sweet baby" against her skin. Olivia was instantly lost in his blue eyes. She slowly lifted her thighs onto his shoulders, giving him the green light.

Nothing could compare to the sensations that rocked Olivia's body once Fitz took control of her pussy. He captured her clit with his teeth, sucking, biting, and tonguing. When he knew Olivia was on the verge of coming, he slipped his tongue into her.

Olivia screamed as she violently came. Fitz licked up all of her pouring juices as he slid back up to her mouth.

When her breath returned to a human level, He took her hands, which were balling fistfuls of the sheets, and intertwined his fingers with hers. He kissed the palm of her hands as he raised her arms above her head. As he lined his pulsating cock with her slit, he searched her face to make sure she was ready.

Olivia gave a quick nod and kissed his jaw. She could feel herself falling hard for Fitz. When he had buried his entire length into her, she started to see stars. With her arms still restrained by Fitz, she was forced to stare into his blue eyes, bright with lust—but also laced with something else. Love? It couldn't be. It was only their first date. She felt her core become restless as Fitz didn't move inside her. She gyrated her hips against him to encourage him to move. A devastatingly sexy smile came upon his face as he began his rhythm of thrusts.

"Livvy, you are so damn tight…" Fitz growled into her mouth. Olivia's mind couldn't even form a coherent thought as she merely gasped and moaned to let Fitz know he was hitting all of the right places. When Olivia but his lip, he gave her one final push, sending them both tumbling over the edge in sync.

Fitz released her hands and rolled off of her. Olivia immediately pulled herself into his side to snuggle, finding a comfortable position against his side.

"That was…"

"Better than a walk in the park." Fitz released a hearty laugh as he kissed her forehead.

Seconds later they were fast asleep and well immersed in their separate dreams of each other.

/

"Coke or Pepsi?" Olivia absentmindedly traced geometric shapes on Ftiz's chiseled chest.

"Coke, no doubt. You?"

"I can't tell the difference." Olivia giggled into his chest. They had decided to spend the whole morning in bed getting to know each other better—since their small talk last night didn't seem to get anywhere. They laid in the morning sun, intertwined beneath the sheets.

"Favorite TV Show?"

"Gossip Girl," Fitz said with the most serious tone.

"Really?" Olivia squealed.

"No! Modern Family"

Olivia attempted to playfully hit Fitz's chest, but he anticipated her move and grabbed her wrist, pulling her on top of him. He planted a brief but smoldering kiss on her lips.

"Mad Men," Olivia proclaimed.

Fitz rolled his eyes, "well _that_ makes sense."

"Hey!" Olivia propped herself up on her elbows, "I have learned a lot about the industry through that show."

"I'm sure you have." Fitz pulled her in for another kiss. "When is your birthday?"

"January 14th"

"August 2nd"

"Favorite movie?"

"_A Beautiful Mind_" Olivia answered without missing a beat.

"Good one. I've always been a big Ron Howard fan."

"What is yours?"

"All-time favorite would have to be _The Godfather_. But I'm still on a cinematic high from watching _Her_ the other day."

"Cinematic high?"

"You know. When you finish a film that was so breathtaking that you feel different afterwards—like you are in a dream, or still in the movie."

Olivia watched him intently as he spoke on about the colors and score of the film. He was animated with passion. His face took on a boyish quality as he poetically described his love for films.

"Wow, you really are a film buff aren't you?"

"There was a time when I was convinced that I was going to be the next Martin Scorsese." Fitz flashed a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Why didn't you?" Olivia felt his hands which were softly gliding over her body still momentarily before continuing.

"My father…" Fitz struggled with his words for a second, "He didn't think it would be an appropriate career choice."

Olivia softly placed a kiss on his bottom lip. "I bet you would make a fantastic director," she whispered against his chin.

"I guess it was a childish dream. I mean, I am perfectly happy being a lawyer. I am really learning to enjoy it. I probably never had the stomach for the entertainment business—"

Olivia's flew to his mouth to prevent him from saying another word. She moved her lips to his ear and breathed, "Don't let anyone _ever_ control your dreams."

/

Mellie pointy pumps made a staccato noise against the hard wood floor of her kitchen as she paced in tight circles. She sighed into the phone pressed against her ear.

"Hello? Mellie?" the receiver boomed.

"Hello Big Gerry, how are you?" Mellie used her sweetest southern accent.

"I'm fine, darling. What do I owe this pleasure."

Mellie took a deep breath, dropping her southern drawl and getting to business, "It's your son."

* * *

**I hope I am improving with my smut writing (I know the first chapter was pretty rough) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this. Please leave your reviews and comments! I'm off to a baccalaureate service! Heheee.**


	5. Somethings Never Seem To Fucking Work

**Yeah, yeah. It's been a while. I had to convert my sister to a gladiator, by rewatching Season 1. Tough work, you know.**

Some Things Never Seem To Fucking Work—Solange

I've seen you with the lights off  
I've seen you and you think you love me  
I've seen you with your hat off  
I'm dreaming of a time you knew me

So baby, is it all you've got?  
Tell me if you got some more  
I'm thinking of some time off, off  
I'm dreaming of a time that you knew me

* * *

Olivia's nervously paced in a tight circle as she waited for Edison to arrive. He was taking her to dinner to celebrate her first day at her internship—which had flowed seamlessly. After their spat on graduation night, Edison apologized immediately the next day. Olivia accepted his apology dismissively, and tried her best to avoid him the entire week. They both knew that the conversation was not over, but Olivia just couldn't deal with a confrontation, especially with so many changes going on in her life.

"If you are going to keep pacing, take your damn heels off. You sound like a metronome." Abbey piped up from her sprawled position on the couch. She was in her pajamas underneath with an order of Chinese takeout resting on her lap.

"Sorry," Olivia slipped out of her heels and proceeded to pace in her bare feet. She was dreading tonight. She was dreading the inevitable decisions and conversations to come. Her mother had raised her better than the way she had been acting, and she had to sort it all out.

Edison was safety and familiarity. Fitz was passion and excitement. Edison made love like he was following textbook directions. Fitz, well, Fitz took a different approach. Ever since her fling with Fitz started, she felt disgusting around Edison—like she was in desperate need of a shower. But, when she was in Fitz's arms she felt natural. The amount of thought he had put into their date assured her doubting mind that he was just a serious about this as she wanted to be. When he opened up to her the morning after, she could feel herself becoming emotionally attached. The Olivia Pope of her was throwing up all of the caution signs, but the 'Livvie' of her was craving his muscular arms around her torso. She walked over to her fridge to pour herself a glass of water to calm her nerves. She would have to make up her mind by the end of the night; that was for sure.

Edison rang the doorbell, and Olivia went to buzz him in. Seconds later he was at her door wearing dark jeans and a soft grey button down shirt.

"Hey, Liv" He leaned down to kiss her. When their lips met, Olivia tasted betrayal. It hurt her to think that she was cheating him, but she pushed her emotions aside as she broke the kiss and went to retrieve her purse.

"Hey Abbey."

"Hey, Eddy," Abbey turned back to her dinner.

"I'm ready." Olivia grabbed her cellphone off of the counter and walked out of the door with Edison.

They walked in comfortable silence to the pizzeria two blocks away. Despite its casual appearance, it had the finest artisan pizza in the whole city. It was always filled with college students, even during breaks.

When they sat down and ordered, Olivia started to recount her first day at her internship. She talked of how the office was really laid back, despite its prestigious reputation. She reported to Jake Ballard, a senior copywriter there. She swore he was already coming onto her, but she wasn't going to tell Edison that. Jake wasn't exactly handsome, and she already had too many men in her life at the moment.

They ate their food and remained casual conversation. The weight of a more serious conversation hung in the air, but they both tried to keep the conversation light.

By the time she was almost done eating, Olivia felt her cellphone vibrate softly against her thigh. The caller ID read Fitz.

"I have to take this. Give me a second." Olivia rushed to the bathroom to take the call. When she was in the safety of the ladies room, she swiped her phone open.

"Hey."

"Hi, Livvie." Olivia almost felt her knees buckle from the sound of his voice pressed against her ear. "Is now a bad time? I wanted to see how your first day at work went."

A moment of silence pierced the air as Olivia tried to find the words, "I'm out…with Edison."

"Livvie, listen to me. I know that you and Edison have been together for a long time. I don't want to pressure you into making a rash decision, but just know that if you will have me, I want to be 100% committed to this relationship. I told you that I broke it off with Mellie, and she means nothing to me. I can't guarantee that she has given up—Big Gerry doesn't accept defeat that easily. But _I _am willing to commit to you. I don't want this to be a dirty affair that we feel guilty about. I want to take you to the popular restaurants and meet your mother and your friends. If you are happy with Edison, then so be it. I will leave you alone. We can go back to our separate lives, and this will be the end of it. I just want to let you know that I am serious about this… about _us_."

In that moment Olivia knew what she had to do. She fought the tears and steadied her voice as she whispered a meek "thank-you" and hung up. She gained her composure and checked herself in the mirror, then went back out to Edison

"Let's go." She gathered her leftovers into a cardboard box, and waited for Edison to pay for the food.

They walked in silence until they reached the entrance to her apartment building. Edison could sense that something was not right. He felt Olivia tense as he put his hands on the sides of her face to pull her in for a kiss.

"Edison—"

"What has been the matter?" Edison took a step back, "You have been distant ever since graduation night. Is it because I asked you to move in with me?"

"Edison, I, uh. I'm not going to move in with you." She fought a wave of emotion rising in her chest. She just wanted this to be quick and painless, but she knew that wouldn't be the case. "I know that I should have realized this earlier, but I don't think I am the right person for you, and I can't see us benefitting from this relationship anymore." Her voice was cold and calculated. This was Olivia Pope speaking. She had to use some source of authority, or else she knew she would break into tears.

Edison took another step back. He ran his hand into his pocket, balling his hand into a fist. "Olivia. Whatever this is, we can get through this. You are just under a lot of stress, you just—"

"No. I have thought this through. I care about you. You are a great guy. I am glad that I have spent these years with you, I just—I can't see me having a future with you. It wouldn't be fair you."

"So that is just it, then. You end it on a Monday night on the stoop of your apartment with a box of leftover pizza in your hand."

"What do you want me to do, Edison? I would be doing you an injustice if I kept pretending."

Edison pulled his fist out of his pocket. As he opened his large hand, a tiny velvet-black box appeared. "What the _fuck_ am I supposed to do with this?" His tone was more hurt than angry.

Olivia gaped at the tiny mocking symbol for commitment in front of her. This was her worst fear coming to life in front of her eyes. She took a step back and cleared her throat, "give it to a girl who deserves it." With that she turned on her heel and went into her apartment building.

When she had safely made it to her apartment, she immediately went to the kitchen area to pour herself a glass of wine.

Abbey, hearing her come in, awoke from where she dozed off to sleep on the couch. "Oh my gosh, Liv, what happened?" Olivia plopped onto the couch next to Abbey and started to take a long pull of her wine. "I broke it off with Edison, and he basically proposed."

Abbey tried to suppress her laughter as she reached for Olivia's leftover pizza. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Olivia sighed and took another gulp of her wine, "I bet you want to know about Mr. Mystery now, huh."

Abbey giggled excitedly and leaned in to hear the juicy details as Olivia revealed them—still being tauntingly vague in some areas.

"Well, that's about it. Me and my fucked up love life."

"What are you doing here? Go to him. Run like the movies. Like that corny one with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Except you would have to be the Hugh Grant in the situation."

Olivia finished her wine and went to fetch her purse, "Okay, thanks Abbey."

"Wait!" Abbey sprung up from the couch and jogged over to Olivia. She unbuttoned the top button of Olivia's blouse revealing a bit of cleavage and pinched her cheeks, "Go get 'em tiger!"

Olivia rolled her eyes, "I'll text you when I get there." And with that she walked out of her apartment.

* * *

**I want to bring back the S1 Olivia… you know, the kick-ass gut-following one. Anyways, Edison is FINALLY cut out. In the TV show, I actually really liked Edison, but I certainly wasn't going to write Joke in as a love interest (I actually have nice plans for his character later heehee). Anyways, I will probably keep the chapters short like this from here on out, just out of convenience.**


	6. Silhouette

**You guys rock. Really. The fact that I have to use Google Translate to read some of the reviews blows my freaking mind. Anyways, "pudding top" (where do you guys even come up with these nick names, haha) AKA Edison is gone, and Fitz will fill his place quite nicely!**

Silhouette (ft. Ellie Goulding)—Active Child

Show me where it hurts  
Will you make it okay?  
Tell me that you'll stay  
Even when I'm far away  
My voice will carry through  
Until it's me and you  
We can make it if we try  
But all I'm saying is  
You, you'll never be alone

* * *

Fitz licked the excess of his beer off of his lips as he tossed the empty bottle into the trashcan across the room like a professional NBA star. He turned his attention back to the TV screen. Mad Men. He recorded the show just out of curiosity after Olivia professed her addiction to it. Turns out, it was actually a really good show. God, how he couldn't get her off of his mind.

He reached for his phone: no messages. Fitz sighed and mentally kicked himself. He had pushed himself too far when he called Olivia earlier that night, but he just had to get it off of his chest. He felt a thousand pounds lighter when she hung up, but as the hours went by without a reply he felt a feeling of doubt and regret creeping back.

Fitz focused back on the TV screen, trying to pick up whatever details he missed in his daydream. He was so lost in the show, he almost didn't even hear the doorbell ring. He stretched involuntarily as he made his way over to the door. Dressed in a gray Stanford t-shirt and black sweatpants, he didn't even check the peephole before opening the door.

There she was. Like a dream, as if God had heard his thoughts and decided to amuse himself. She stood there all 5'5" in her work clothes with an open expression on her face. She chose him. The most exquisite and spectacular woman he had ever met chose him. They stood there for an eternity just taking in the moment until Olivia moved forward, molding her body into his and snaking her arms around his back. Her small hands balled fistfuls of his shirt as she sank deeper into his skin, with a surprisingly strong hold. Fitz shut the door with one arm and met her embrace. One arm held her by the large of her back while the other went to her hair as he pressed her head against his chest. He felt her petite frame shudder against his chest as she stifled a sob. Seeing her so vulnerable and open made

He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "It is okay, Livvie. I've got you. Let it go." Not loosening his arms around her, Fitz guided her to the couch. He positioned them on the couch to where Olivia was curled against his chest. One of his hands rubbed slow, comforting circles into her arm, while the other rested on her back. With his cheek resting on her head which rested against his chest, they fit perfectly, and Fitz wondered how he could have ever settled for any woman before he met Olivia.

They sat there completely content for what only seemed like minutes, until Olivia broke the embrace to check the time on her phone. 11:39. She knew that she had to go back to her apartment, and get a good night's rest before going back to work the next day. She turned back to look in his soft blue eyes.

"I should—"

"Stay." Fitz stood and slowly walked over to Olivia, pulling her body close to his. "You should stay with me tonight."

Olivia felt her better judgment slip as he kissed her forehead, her nose, and then her lips. She broke the kiss reluctantly to set her phone back in her purse.

"Okay"

Fitz went to retrieve a t-shirt for her to sleep in. He went to take a quick, cold shower as Olivia changed into her makeshift pajamas and brushed her teeth with his toothbrush. She sent a quick text to Abbey letting her know that everything was fine and set an earlier alarm for the next day so she would have time to go back to her apartment to shower and get dressed for work. She heard the shower cut off as she slid in between the crisp, cool sheets of Fitz bed. His bed was really comfortable. Way more comfortable than her student apartment on the edge of the Berkeley campus—which reminded her she needed to go apartment shopping soon. Abbey would be attending law school on the east coast, and she was moving out when their lease was up. Her exhausted eyelids fought sleep as she slipped into a half-conscious state.

Fitz came out of the bathroom in his pajama pants to find the most beautiful person he had ever seen snuggled underneath his thick down comforter. Her hair was cascading down her cheek in a wide curl. He turned the lights off and delicately climbed into the bed behind her. He normally slept on the right side, but he didn't mind giving up his side for her tonight. He nestled himself into a spooning position and Olivia slipped her ankle in between his legs, intertwining their legs.

Olivia smiled as she felt Fitz kiss her cheek and whisper, "Goodnight, Livvie." into her ear. She had never felt so safe and treasured as she did in that moment with his shirt on and his arms wrapped around her waist.

/

Olivia took the opportunity to take in the comical picture of Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III in the precious early hours. She managed to silence her alarm before it woke him up. The sheets were tangled dangerously around his legs and his hair was borderline afro with its curly messiness. His morning wood stretched upwards creating a tent in his pajamas.

Olivia crawled out of the bed and went to pee. She slipped the trousers she wore the previous day on, still keeping Fitz's shirt on. She went over to Fitz's side of the bed and gently kissed his lips.

"Good morning." He smiled as he sat up, kicked the restraining sheets down to his ankles, and pulled her onto his lap, "I could be a morning person if I woke up like this every morning." Fitz held Olivia's face as he deepened a kiss on her lips, slipping his tongue into her mouth. When she responded, he slid a hand underneath his—now _her_—t shirt and massaged her nipple with his finger. Olivia arched her back and moaned deeply into his kiss. He suddenly grabbed her waist and hoisted her onto his clothed erection to where she was straddling him

"Fitz—"

"Yes, Sweet Baby?"

Olivia gasped as she struggled to make a coherent thought, "I…uh, work. I have to go get ready." She attempted to get off of Fitz's lap, but he playfully restrained her wrists with one hand and held her down with his other arm.

"You can't just leave me like this…"He kissed her neck up to her ear and went to work on a making love mark.

Olivia allowed herself to enjoy the pleasure of his breath on her ear, and his lips grazing her skin. "Rain check?" Olivia placed one hand on his chest and pushed him away slightly before she could lose all self-control.

"Rain check." Fitz sighed as he pulled her in for one more knee weakening kiss before releasing her.

/

Olivia was having a hard time focusing at her job. She couldn't get Fitz out of her head. Her internship currently consisted of her doing menial tasks like coffee duty, taking notes in meetings, and fetching supplies from the art department, and typing memos, but if she knew that if she showed intelligence and good work ethic, she would be assigned more significant tasks.

"It is lunch time. I have no plans. It doesn't appear that you do either. Jason's Deli? It three blocks away and has the best tomato basil panini."

Olivia snapped out of her day dream to see Jake Ballard leaning against her desk with a smug grin on his face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ballard, but—"

"Jake. Call me Jake. We will be seeing a lot of each other, and I want you to feel comfortable around me." He leaned in towards her, and Olivia subtly rolled her desk chair away, keeping a comfortable distance between them.

"Jake," she started politely, "I have some errands to run. Maybe another time."

"I'll hold you to it." And with that, Jake Ballard was off.

She waited for Jake to be a distance off before she gathered her things to take her lunch break. She hoped he was just mindlessly flirting. She didn't want any trouble and she certainly didn't want any of it to result in her reputation at the firm being soiled.

After running to the post office, and picking up a to-go salad, she decided to call her mother to tell her about Edison. On the second ring, Maya answered.

"Hello, baby girl."

"Hey, Mom. Are you busy?"

"I've got twenty minutes. How is your internship going?"

"Great! I'm on my lunch break. I can really see myself working at this place. I love it."

"That's good. What did you want to talk about?"

"I broke up with Edison."

"Oh. Are you okay?" Maya was secretly relieved. She knew they were not right for each other, "What happened?"

"He took me out for pizza last night. I told him I couldn't move in with him, and I ended it. Then he sort of proposed. He had the ring in his pocket, like he was planning on the right time to ask. I just can't believe that he thought we were already at that point. I wasn't even ready to move in yet."

"I'm proud of you. You did the right thing."

"Thanks, mom." Olivia hesitated, not sure if she should go ahead and tell her about Fitz but decided against it. "I was thinking about coming down to visit you in July once I settle into my new apartment."

"I would love to have you. Speaking of apartments, have you even started looking?"

"I was going to look at some listings tonight. I'm definitely getting one near the office. This commute from Berkeley is going to kill my gas allowance."

"If you are going to need help moving in, I can probably take a week off of work to fly up and help."

"Well, it depends on what apartment I choose. Thanks, mom. I'll Skype you later this week."

"Okay, baby. I love you."

"Love you, too."

* * *

**I will be trying my hardest to keep these reviews frequent and consistent. I have some wonderful things coming up for Olitz! I am just so excited, but I have to wait patiently to write them… Please let me know what you think of this chapter. You guys really fuel my writing. I know this was short, but I have to have a time break (and a new song) for the next chapter. **


	7. Hands Down

**I hope you guys like this song, I am currently learning guitar to it. It is just so sweet! Anyways I just can't resist giving happy Olitz a chapter to themselves! THANKYOU FOR REVIEWING THIS, YOU GUYS ROCK.**

Hands Down—Dashboard Confessional

Breathe in for luck, breathe in so deep  
This air is blessed, you share with me  
This night is wild, so calm and dull  
These hearts, they race from self-control  
Your legs are smooth as they graze mine  
We're doing fine, we're doing nothing at all

* * *

"Fitz, MOVE." Olivia playfully splashed in Fitz's direction. "I'm trying to get a workout in."

Fitz had agreed to go to the pool with Olivia that Sunday morning, which proved to be a terrible idea. She couldn't even finish a lap without him distracting her in some way. She laughed in bubbles as he practiced a sloppy handstand in the shallow end, blocking her path. She pushed his legs over, causing him to tumble in the waist deep water.

"Hey! I was doing very well there!" Fitz wiped the water from his eyes in mock outrage.

"Maybe if you would stay in your own lane, I wouldn't have had to do that." She attempted to breast stroke away from him, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her goggles off of her face.

"I think we both know that is impossible for me to stay out of your lane." Olivia tilted her head back at his comment and leaned in for a kiss. Right when she was expecting his lips to make contact, Fitz swung her around and threw her underwater. When she surfaced, the surprise in her expression caused Fitz to burst out in laughter. He doubled over in the water as she started towards him with determination. She tried to tackle him, but her 5'5" body didn't gain enough momentum to topple his 6'2" frame. Instead she just clung to him as he caught her in his arms. This time, Fitz brought his lips down to hers. She pulled away.

"Oh no 'sir, Mr. Grant." She laughed at his disappointed expression, "You've been too mean to deserve my kisses."

"How will I ever win your favor back?" Fitz walked them over to the edge of the pool and set her on the edge. His hands went to massage her thighs and ass. He slipped one hand into the back of her white one-piece speedo swimsuit, squeezing her ass slightly.

"That's a start." Olivia, unable to resist his sexy demeanor grabbed his face and pulled him in for a searing, unapologetic kiss. She requested entry into his mouth with her tongue, and he gladly obliged. They were well into a heated make-out when they heard a loud throat clear. They both realized that a young lifeguard was awkwardly adjusting a safety tube across his lap from his post. Olivia jumped off of the ledge in embarrassment and put her goggles back into place.

"I'll race you." Fitz's crystal eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Okay, but only butterfly stroke." She giggled. Butterfly was her best stroke, and she knew it would be a disadvantage to Fitz.

"Deal." Truth was that Fitz had no idea how to do the butterfly stroke, but he would never give her the satisfaction. Sure, he watched the summer Olympics, but he had never actually attempted the difficult stroke.

"On your mark, get set. GO!" The pushed off of the wall, and sped towards the other end. Olivia's strokes were clean and powerful, propelling her at a surprising pace. Fitz's struggle was obvious. He struggled to get his body out of the water to breath. When he noticed Olivia was a full length ahead of him, he gave up and switched to freestyle. He quickly overpowered her, then went back to his failing butterfly. He finished a millisecond before her.

"It doesn't count when you cheat."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Fitz said out of breath. "You have swam your laps, now can we go?"

"I have barely finished my warm up, no thanks to you!" Fitz started to advance towards her lane, but Olivia stopped him. "Give me 15 minutes of uninterrupted swimming, then I'll be all yours." She snickered at how disappointed he looked as she slipped underwater and pushed off of the wall.

/

It had been three weeks since Olivia last saw Edison. She had made an extremely awkward trip to his apartment to retrieve her belongings a couple of days after their split. He had left the engagement ring box open on his nightstand as if to make a final pleading offer. When she saw it, she shut it and hastily gathered her things and left. She couldn't even look him in the eyes. She was just relieved to put that chapter behind her. Now she could focus all of her energy on Fitz.

He had been amazing to her in their short time together. They spent almost every second they could together. She spent more time at his apartment, than she ever did at Edison's. It actually wasn't even fair to compare Fitz to Edison. She wondered how she could have been so naïve to be content with Edison. Now the whole entirety of it seemed childish—like kindergarteners on a playground believing they were going to be together forever.

"So when will I get to meet Mr. Mystery? You have been awfully selfish with him…" Abbey took a spoonful of half melted ice cream into her mouth. They were laying out on one of the greens on the Berkeley campus. Even though they graduated and school was out, it as one of their favorite places, and it was too beautiful outside to stay inside.

"You just haven't ever been home when he comes over," Olivia defended. Which was true. Abbey had been spending a lot of time with a local government attorney David Rosen. Olivia had met him a couple of times, and he seemed like a perfect fit for Abbey—someone sane and level enough to balance out Abbey's crazy, borderline-psychotic persona.

"Well, I still want to meet him. From what I remember that graduation night—which honestly isn't much—he isn't exactly hard to look at." —_you haven't seen him in the bedroom—_ Olivia blushed deeply as she turned the page of the classified ads in the paper. Her search for an apartment had begun. So far she had narrowed it down to three different apartments. Fitz was going to go check them out with her later that day.

"He is coming over at three to take me apartment shopping. If you can stay away from David for a couple hours, then you'll get to meet him."

/

Olivia was finishing her makeup when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Abbey called out a little too excited. Olivia rolled her eyes. She couldn't wait to hear Abbey's slick, sexual comments about Fitz—however witty they might be. She finished her mascara and gave herself a final look down in the mirror. She was wearing a pair of dark jeans with a navy blue, loose button down shirt. She slipped a pair of wedges on her feet and went out to meet him.

"Liv. You look great!" Fitz placed a tender kiss on her cheek as Olivia crossed the room to get her purse.

"Thanks," she breathed against his touch.

"Fitz was just telling me about his work. You two have to stay together until I pass the BAR, so he can get me a job."

"That's assuming you pass the exam." Olivia quipped in good nature. "I'm ready."

"It was nice meeting you, Abbey."

"Likewise."

When Fitz turned towards the door, Abbey gave Olivia a comically approving look. Olivia stuck her tongue out at her and followed Fitz to the door.

"Be sure to sign the lease before you fuck in it!" Abbey called right before they shut the door behind them. Olivia's face turned bright red. Fitz gave a hearty laugh as his hand grasped hers, and he brought her hand up to his mouth to kiss it.

"Your roommate gives sound advice."

"You'll have to get used to her… um… humor."

Out of the three apartments she toured, the third one stuck out. It was a studio with a large sliding glass door and a balcony that gave a breathtaking view overlooking the Bay. Even though the kitchen was tiny—Olivia wasn't exactly a cook—the location was perfect. It was five minutes from the office and ten minutes from Fitz's place.

The landlord, a sweet grandmotherly woman, excused herself to answer her phone and give them a moment of privacy. When she left, Olivia walked out onto the balcony to take it all in. Fitz walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her stomach. Olivia melted back into his chest. She felt a smile form on his face as he planted gentle kisses on her cheek.

"This is just so perfect."

"Mmmm." Fitz murmured against her neck in agreement, but not about the apartment.

Olivia turned in his arms and pulled him in for a warm hug.

"Thank-you."

"For what?" Fitz softly stroked her hair with one hand and rubbed large patterns into her back.

"I don't know." Fitz pulled back a bit to look into her eyes. "I have just never been this happy before, and it's all because of you. I... just… well, thank-you."

"Livvie—" Fitz caressed her face in his hands as he guided her gaze back to his eyes, "what did I do to deserve you?" She brought her lips to his in a simple kiss that quickly evolved into something deeper. Her hands went to the thick curls in his hair. She would never get tired of running her fingers through the silky texture. Fitz pushed Olivia against the railing as he felt his member harden.

"Remember what Abbey said?" Olivia giggled against his lips, slowing her pace to allow for air.

"What was that?" Fitz moved to her neck, hitting one of her many pleasure spots causing Olivia to gasp.

"No…none of…_this_… until I sign a lease."

"Then _sign the lease_." Fitz growled against her collarbone. As if on cue, the door opened and the landlady came in.

"What do you think?"

"It's perfect." Olivia automatically tried to put some respectable space between her and Fitz, but he kept a firm arm around her waist. "I'm not sure what the usual etiquette is, but the lease at my current place is up the first of July. I can sign whatever papers today, and move in then."

"Oh, that will be fine. Here is my number, and here is a moving company I recommend in case you need help with your stuff."

"I'll be helping her, thank-you," Fitz interjected.

"Very well then, come down to my office, and we can get the paperwork done."

/

"Fitz!" Olivia shrieked as he threw her over his shoulder cave-man style.

"You denied me at the apartment, there is no way in hell you are going to deny me here." He playfully swatted her ass before throwing her on the bed.

He discarded his shirt and threw it dramatically into the corner. As he slid undid his zipper and let his pants slide to the floor, Olivia licked her lips. Now only a thin layer of cotton separated Olivia from his erect cock that was making her wetter by the second.

Fitz started across the king sized bed towards Olivia. She coyly tried to scoot away, but he caught her, yanking her jeans off of her and lifting her shirt above her head. She laid there beneath him in her matching underwear and bra, panting in anticipation. His clothed erection was bearing into her thigh causing her to squirm.

"You are so fucking beautiful."

His words sent chills down her spine. He masterfully unclasped her bra and threw it in the general direction of his clothes. Seizing one of her nipples in his mouth and sending one hand down to massage her clit, Olivia almost climaxed on the spot.

Fitz took his time, giving Olivia's other nipple just as much attention. When he slid a finger into her heat, she called out to God. After a couple of strokes increasing the pace each time, he slid a second finger in and captured her moans in his mouth as her body trembled with an orgasm. Fitz gave her a second to catch her breath, before flipping her over onto hands and knees.

"Fitz" Olivia gasped.

"Yes, Livvie?" Fitz growled into her ear. He slid her panties off and kicked his own boxers off. His hands snaked around to her breasts as he slowly slid his length into her, giving her time to adjust. She threw her head back as he started to thrust.

"You like that, Sweet Baby? Do you want more?"

All Olivia could do was arch her back, taking more of him into her and yell a stream of expletives. Her body was in sensory overload. She couldn't even think. All she could do was focus on the intense waves of pleasure rippling through her body.

"Oh, God. Fitz, I'm close." She turned her head to look at him. Intense passion radiated from her face, almost causing him to come before her.

"Come undone for me, Livvie." With that, he raised her thigh giving him better leverage and drove hard into her, hitting her spot. She came violently, letting out animalistic noises. Fitz moved his hands up to intertwine his fingers with hers and she bed sheets as his orgasm came. His seed spilling into her was one of the most beautiful feelings they had both ever felt.

"That was—" Olivia struggled for the words.

"Yeah, it was." Fitz kissed her bottom lip, sucking lightly.

When their bodies had returned back to Earth, Fitz picked Olivia up and softly carried her to the shower.

He spent his time with a washcloth cleaning her off, and re-exploring her body. It amazed her how he could be so fearless and commanding during their sex, but so caring and tender at the same time. When he finished washing her after-sex off, she went to work on him. As Olivia softly lathering circles in to his chest, Fitz let his hands rest on either side of her face, caressing her cheeks and twirling tendrils of hair between his fingers.

"I was thinking, once I get settled in my new apartment…" Olivia felt her confidence wane. She wanted this to be perfect, and she didn't want to seem like an overcommitted fool. "If you would want to come to L.A. with me for a week to visit my mother." Olivia nervously went back to lathering his chest with the washcloth.

Fitz felt emotion creep up inside him. Her discomfort was clear. He could tell how nervous she was about letting him into her life.

"Livvie." Olivia kept her eyes trained on the washcloth. "Livvie, look at me." Her eyes watered slightly as the worst flooded her mind.

_Damn it, I just pushed it too hard. He isn't ready to meet my parents. What the fuck was I thinking? He doesn't feel this strongly about me yet… or at all._

"I would love to meet your mother. And a week in the 'city of angels' with my perfect angel sounds like something out of heaven."

"Really?" Fitz stooped a bit so their foreheads where touching

"Really." Fitz kissed her gingerly on the nose and then pulled her back into the water stream with him to rinse the soap off.

A loud boom came from outside the bathroom, causing Olivia to jump. The bathroom door swung open as a large hand pulled the shower curtain back revealing a tall man dressed in an expensive suit in his early sixties with a thick crop of white hair. His demeanor was powerful and belligerent and his eyes were an identical shade to Fitz's.

Fitz protectively pulled Olivia behind him and covered his private parts with the washcloth.

"Get out, Fitzgerald, right now!" The man's voice boomed with a southern accent and echoed off of the tiles in the most frightening way.

* * *

***Beyoncé voice* Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, oh na na.**

**Big Gerry came through after all, hmmmmmmmmmmmm.**


	8. Hold On

**Shit is about to go down, that is all I will say before this. **

**Along with an apology for the time gap. I had some problems with and my e-mail account.**

Hold On—Go Radio

And we've all seen the road that we all walked to get here  
It's lined with the stones that we cast in our youth  
May they glow like a coal and keep passion inside us  
Reminding though young and in love we're all fools

But the time that we spent in arms and in longing  
Can rewrite the pages our fathers left here  
From a passage of hope and an act of conviction  
To letters unsigned and unsent out of fear

* * *

"Meet my father." Fitz growled angrily against the shower wall. After Big Gerry's intrusion on their shower, Fitz quickly closed the shower curtain back and demanded that Big Gerry leave. He knew that he was waiting in the living room for him, and he wanted to postpone going out there to face him. Olivia's small hands softly rubbed Fitz's shoulders to comfort him. He forgot how mortifying this must be for her. To be exposed to him, naked and in the rudest way.

"I'm so sorry," Olivia whispered. Her eyes couldn't hide her embarrassment and fluttered nerves. Fitz wanted nothing more than to go crack Big Gerry across his face for making her feel this way.

"Don't be." He brought his fingertips to graze her face lightly "I should be apologizing to you/ Do you want to leave? I will go out there and get your clothes. I'll make sure he doesn't say a word to you."

In all honesty, Olivia wanted to run. She wanted to put as much distance between her and Big Gerry as possible. But more than that she wanted to protect Fitz. She knew nothing of Big Gerry, but to be able to force Fitz into an unwanted engagement, she was frightened for his sake. She wanted to protect Fitz from whatever reason Big Gerry intruded on their lives this morning. She wanted to keep Big Gerry from hurting a hair on his head emotionally and physically.

"Do you want me to stay? I will if you want me to. Whatever you want me to do, I will do. I'm here for you" She took his face in her hands and reached on her tip-toes to kiss his lips. "Nothing he can say or do will diminish what this is."

Fitz was speechless. He wanted her to stay. He _needed_ her. "The second you want to leave, just let me know. I swear to God if he tries to say anything offensive to you—"

"I'll be fine. Trust me." She gave him another soothing, reassuring kiss before turning the water off and handing him a towel. "Now, please go get my clothes."

Fitz wrapped a towel around his waist and went to retrieve their clothes.

Once they were dry and clothed, Olivia intertwined their fingers and gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. They walked through the bedroom to Fitz's living room. Big Gerry had his suit jacket folded over a chair and was helping himself to a glass of Fitz's scotch. When he saw Olivia, he went to retrieve his wallet. Pulling out a couple one-hundred dollar bills he extended them to Olivia.

"Thanks for taking care of my son, sweetheart. I suggest you get on home now. This should cover your services."

Fitz immediately went into action mode, but Olivia put a hand on his chest to keep him at bay. She wasn't going to be insulted and not do anything about it.

"I am not some whore, and I am definitely not going anywhere." The fierceness in her voice took both Fitz and Big Gerry by surprise. "I don't know much about you and Fitz's relationship, but I do know that you are not wanted in his life. He is a grown-ass man, and you no longer have any control over the decisions he makes. I'm sorry that he doesn't fit into your master plan. I bet it really sucks to put so much time and effort into manipulating someone, and in the end you discover that they are an actual human being that has the right to make their own decisions and life choices. You might be the governor of the second most populated state, but I'm pretty sure that the police would arrive here just as fast and treat you just as they would a home break-in."

Big Gerry took a swig of his scotch and set the glass down. "She's a feisty one, Fitz. Where did you find her? I guess it doesn't matter anyways." He slid the money back in his wallet and turned back to Olivia. "Now, darling. That was just a minor miscommunication. Don't get your little panties in a wad. I just want to have a civil discussion with my son. Is that OK? Or do you still want to call the police? Because the last thing I want to do is start a scene."

Fitz out a protective arm around Olivia and guided them to the couch to sit. "You have ten minutes before _I_ call the police."

"I was hoping to have this conversation privately. With just me and my son." Big Gerry sat down across from them.

Olivia turned to look at Fitz in the eyes. If he wanted her to leave she would. The desperation and anger in his eyes told her that she was needed.

"Olivia will stay. And now you have 9 and a half minutes. What do you want?"

Big Gerry looked at Fitz in surprise for standing up to him. Instantly his sugary façade dissolved into his business mode. "I don't know what has gotten into you, boy. I thought that I raised you better than to waste the golden opportunities I place in front of you. Do you understand what you are giving away? A marriage to one of the finest political dynasties in American history and a seat in the _senate_. It's the American Dream, boy."

"I don't want to be a senator or have anything to do with Mellie."

Fitz's interruption startled Big Gerry. Big Gerry could tell that this new girl had an effect on him. Fitz was never bold or upfront with him, but now something was different.

"I don't understand where you changed. You used to want to make a difference. You used to want to matter. There was a time when you had ambition and drive. Before you got comfortable in your pitiful job down at that law firm. Before you settled." Big Gerry shot a judgmental look at Olivia causing her to tense in Fitz's arms.

Fitz felt his temper rise, "Let's get one thing straight. That was not my ambitions, but yours. I never wanted to be a politician; I only went along with it because I had you telling me that it was my only option. The reason that I despise the thought of running for office so lividly is because I don't want to end up like you. Alone, pathetic, and desperately clinging to a past that isn't coming back and a future that will never happen."

Fitz stood and walked a couple of feet towards the balcony to calm himself. "I am going to continue working at the law firm—which I love— continue dating Olivia, and continue living my life with as little contact with you as possible. The senate election will come in November, and I could not give a rat's ass who wins. Actually, I prefer Cyrus Beene, and I will probably vote for him. As for Mellie, I suggest you stop whispering lies into her ear. Hell, why don't you marry her if you like her so much? I'm sure that she is the only person who is capable of putting up with your copious amount of bullshit. I don't need you anymore, and you sure as hell aren't welcome." Fitz pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time. "It looks like your ten minutes is up."

Big Gerry's face turned bright red, and his southern accent intensified, "sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve such an asinine, worthless son. Just give it five years, six years tops. You will wake up one day and find the other side of your bed empty, and you will put your cheap grey suit on and walk into the same doors of the same small law firm and sit at your small desk in an office without a view, and you will _regret _this."

Fits coolly raised his phone to his ear. The silence was deadly, and you could hear a tiny voice on the other end.

"911- What is your emergency?"

"I would like to report a break in," Fitz smirked at Big Gerry.

Big Gerry snatched his jacket off of the couch and stormed out of the apartment.

The second the door slammed, Olivia was off of the couch and had her arms wrapped around Fitz's torso. There were no words to be spoken, just actions. Fitz buried his head in her shoulder, taking deep breaths of her scent. It was amazing what effects Olivia's tiny body had on him. He felt his heart rate return to a normal pace and his muscles relax around her petite frame.

Olivia couldn't find words to capture her emotions, so she just held Fitz close. After several minutes of them just savoring the close comfort of each other Fitz whispered, "Thank-you" into her ear. "Thank-you for doing what you did back there. You were amazing. You stood up to him. I honestly don't think that I could have said what I did back there if I didn't have your hand pressed against mine."

Olivia pulled back to look into his eyes. His crystal blue eyes were wet with unshed tears. Her heart broke at the thought of Big Gerry having his way over Fitz's life.

"Promise me one thing…"

"_Anything_."

"Promise me that you will never listen to a word that he tells you. You are not worthless. You are not settling. Don't ever let him degrade you like that. You deserve so much more."

Fitz's fingers gently ran through her hair, combing out a few minor tangles. "I promise." He sealed his oath with a gentle kiss.

/

Fitz could feel it growing in the pit of his stomach. It grew deeper and deeper every time he looked at her. Sometimes it hit him in massive tsunami waves, like when she was defending him from Big Gerry. Sometimes it just cloaked him in warmth and built an angelic haze around her like when he would watch her doze off to sleep against his chest halfway through whatever movie they were watching (the state he found her in at the moment). There was no denying it. He was sure he loved her. The scariest thing was the abruptness of it all. Didn't it usually take people months to admit they love on another? How long would it take her to love him, if she ever would? She wanted him to meet her mother, which was fantastically encouraging. He just didn't want to rush her, especially after breaking up with Edison so swiftly.

Fitz's fingers absent-mindedly stroked her hair. They seemed to finally have it together. Edison was a distant thought, and it seemed Big Gerry got the picture. Now it was just them, lying on his sofa, intertwined, with the TV on low. Perfect couldn't begin to describe it. Fitz was sure that they were entering a whole new universe where things fit perfectly and happy endings were not only plausible but a reality.

* * *

**PLEASE review! I love hearing what you have to say! I hope you liked this chapter. It was fun to write because I can finally say "adios" to Big Gerry and is his manipulating ass. **


	9. Come Together

**I am sorry for the delay. I was at the beach with no wifi (which was actually **_**really**_** nice), so I couldn't upload it. On the bright side, it gave me time to review it and rewrite it a couple times and make the chapter longer than I originally planned. **

**The song doesn't really match, but I couldn't find one to match the chapter, so whatever. It plays a role eventually.**

**Enjoy!**

Come Together—The Beatles

He wear no shoeshine  
He got toe jam football  
He got monkey finger  
He shoot Coca Cola  
He say I know you, you know me  
One thing I can tell you is  
You got to be free  
Come together, right now  
Over me

* * *

Olivia smoothed imaginary wrinkles out of her skirt. Today was a big day for her. Her advertising firm was bringing in a new client, and she was chosen to sit in on the meeting to take notes. Cyrus Beene was running for the Senate, and was coming to them for advertising. While the billings were low for a political campaign, having a state senator pleased with the firm would be very advantageous. Today's meeting would be a basic introduction and an attempt to woo Mr. Beene with their possible strategies. It was Olivia's job to greet him at the door, bring him to the meeting, and then take notes.

"Good Morning, Mr. Beene. Let me show you to the conference room."

"Thank-you, Ms.—"

"Pope."

"Ms. Pope," Cyrus nodded politely.

Olivia studied his demeanor. He was short and curt, but his face was soft and warming. He took quick, hurried steps on their way to the conference room. From her research on him, Olivia found that he was openly gay and married to James Novak, a valued reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. He graduated from Harvard Law and went on to be the Chief of Staff for the former governor of California. After traveling around K Street and working part-time with a couple of interest groups, he decided to make a run for the Senate. Where he lacked the Kennedy good looks and charm, he made up for in political brilliance. He was instrumental in getting multiple game-changing legislation passed. The real struggle would be portraying that to the public that didn't follow the back dealings of Washington.

When they reached the conference room, Jake and all of her other bosses formally shook hands and introduced themselves formally. Olivia took her seat at the corner of the table and opened her notepad as all of the others took their seats. Jake remained standing.

"Mr. Beene, we are so honored that you chose us to handle the advertising of your campaign." Jake was turning his charm on for Mr. Beene, but judging by Cyrus's face, he wasn't impressed.

Jake went through all of the textbook strategy approaches that any advertisement agency would offer. Olivia dutifully recorded the meeting, but couldn't help but notice the increasingly agitated look on Cyrus's face. Jake was taking all of the wrong approaches to the campaign, and Cyrus knew it. Olivia bit her tongue when Jake mentioned the possible attack ads.

_God, how did he ever work his way up to being senior copywriter?_

Cyrus ran a fidgety hand through his thin hair and leaned back in his chair. His eyes locked with Olivia's. She knew that he knew that Jake's presentation was bullshit, and he knew that she knew. Olivia quickly went back to recording the minutes of the meeting. It was a miniature promotion for her to even be in this meeting, and she didn't want to screw anything up.

Jake rambled on, completely oblivious to Cyrus's disapproval. Olivia kept making awkward eye contact with Cyrus, but she couldn't help it when he was staring at her so intently.

"I will leave these materials for you and your team," Jake slid a folder across the long oak table. "Anything we can do to make your campaign run smoothly, we will do." A smug grin slid onto his face.

Olivia glanced at her other boss's faces. Were they really impressed with the performance Jake just put on? Or could they see that they had an underwhelmed client that was smart enough to go somewhere else. Cyrus shook each of their hands briskly.

"Let me show you out." Olivia led Cyrus away from the meeting and down the hall. Once they were out of earshot from the others, he turned to her.

"What did you think?"

His question caught her off her guard. She hesitated, debating whether to tell him the truth, or to support the firm.

"That's what I thought." Cyrus offered her a comforting smile. "How would you have done it differently?"

"I think that Mr. Ballard had some very valid points back there."

"Bullshit."

Olivia couldn't suppress a giggle at Cyrus's bluntness.

"Mr. Ballard is taking your image in the entirely wrong direction." _what the hell._ "Considering you opponent, Garcia, who is a young, decently handsome candidate from southern California, you need to work on your appeal to the younger voters. You need to highlight any policies favorable to my age demographic. Take advantage of social media, because my generation simply doesn't watch the 6 o'clock news anymore. Forget any attack ads, they will make you seem like a cranky mud-slinging old man. _Stay above the fray_. For you older audience, emphasize your experience with the governor. Use your connections in Washington for endorsements—but you have to be careful with them. Don't appear like a piggy-backer."

At this point, they reached the lobby of the firm. Cyrus pressed the down button on the elevator.

"That's very good… Brilliant, actually."

The elevator dinged open. Olivia was so focused on Cyrus's flattery that she didn't even notice Fitz walk out of the elevator.

"Well I hope to be seeing more of you, Mr. Beene. Despite that lackluster performance you witnessed back there, I think that our firm can really boost your campaign to the right places."

They shook hands, and then Olivia noticed Fitz. He was dressed in his dark blue tailored suit, and she honestly couldn't think of a time that he looked sexier.

"Hey Liv."

"Fitz! Let me introduce you to Cyrus Beene. He is running for the senate, and he is a new client of ours. Mr. Beene, this is Fitz Grant."

"Grant as in the Texan Governor?" Cyrus cautiously extended his hand.

"That's my father, but I swear we bear no resemblance other than physical," Fitz took his hand in a hearty handshake, "I'm a big fan of your work. You have my vote come November."

"Thank-you. Do you work here?"

"No, I'm a lawyer. I just came to see if Olivia would go to lunch with me." Fitz moved closer to Olivia and rested his hand against her back.

"Well don't let me keep you two. It was nice to meet you Mr. Grant—"

"Fitz. Call me Fitz."

"Fitz, I wouldn't screw up with her," he motioned towards Olivia, "she is probably the only person here that has a brain between her ears."

Fitz laughed, "I'll try not to."

Cyrus slipped into the elevator and waved goodbye to them. The second the metal doors closed, Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What are you doing here?"

"My court case ended early this morning. Lunch?"

"Okay." Olivia tried to put some respectable distance between them, considering she was still at work, but Fitz held her firmly. "Let me get my stuff, and let them know I'm leaving."

"Can I at least kiss you first?"

He didn't wait for answer as her drew her lips up to his for a quick, work appropriate peck.

"Olivia." Jake walked up behind them, interrupting their moment.

Fitz could feel her tense in his arms, so he released her, but still kept a protective arm around her waist.

"Jake." _oh, great._ "This is Fitz, my boyfriend. Fitz, this is Jake. He is my supervisor."

They stiffly shook hands, each trying to out grip the other. The tension was uncomfortably warm.

"Jake, is it OK if I take off early for lunch?"

"Did you finish copying the marketing research for Living Greens?" His voice was icy. She could tell that Jake was trying to seem authoritative, ruffling his feathers in front of Fitz. He never used such a demanding tone with her.

"Yes, I put it on your desk."

"Then go ahead. But be back by 1:30. I'll need you to type up the notes from the meeting with Cyrus."

"OK. Thank-you."

Jake quickly retreated to his office.

"Give me a minute to go grab my purse."

"Can I go with you? I would love to see where you work."

"Sure. Follow me."

She showed him her tiny desk in the creative lounge. It was pretty much a desk with a pencil sharpener and a stapler, but she had personalized it with pictures and a tiny vase of daisies.

"Everybody has to start somewhere." She noted, aware for the first time how meager her workspace was.

"At least you have a desk. When I first started my apprenticeship at the law firm, I had a chair pulled up to the end of my boss's desk. I think they gave me a complimentary coffee mug with the firm's logo on it. It was awful." Fitz comically shuddered at the memory eliciting a laugh from Olivia. She noticed Jake watching them intensely from behind the glass separator.

_What a creep._

She gathered her belongings, and they went off to grab some lunch. Olivia chose a crêpe shop that Abbey had raved about.

Once they ordered their crepes, they settled into a booth. Olivia slipped her heels off of her feet and slipped them up the hem of his suit pants. She loved that she was comfortable enough to do small things with him like that. They had built up such a level of trust that she felt like Fitz was breaking down the outer wall that she built up for everybody else. He was getting to know more about her than she even knew about herself. It was new and refreshing, and she was enjoying every second of it.

"So tell me about this Jake guy. Should I be worried?" Fitz joked as he took a swig of his water.

Olivia rolled her eyes and gave him a gentle kick underneath the table. "He is such an idiot, I don't know who he slept with to get to where he is. Did you see the look of annoyance when he saw me in your arms?"

"Yeah, he looked like someone kicked his dog. He almost cut the circulation of my hand off when he shook it though."

Olivia burst into laughter at how childish Jake acted. She checked her phone and found a message from her mom, which reminded her…

"Do you want to meet my mom?"

"Of course. Aren't we meeting her in LA?"

"No, like on a Skype date." Olivia blushed a little. Her mom and Olivia would often schedule 'Skype dates' where they would drink the same type of wine and talk. Usually they got around to it every other week or so. It was like their sacred time together, and their relationship had really grown through it.

Fitz reached across the table and traced the outline of her hand with his fingertips. "A date with your mother sounds lovely… very… _romantic_."

The goofy look on his face caused Olivia to burst into laughter.

"Tonight then? I'll cook us a meal at my place. I should be getting back to back to work. You already put Jake in a bad mood, I wouldn't want to worsen it."

"Me?! What did I do?" Fitz replied in mock oblivion. He gathered their trash and deposited it in the trash can.

"You showed up in your fine-ass suit and put your hands all over me."

"Oh. That."

They walked out of the restaurant with their fingers intertwined and their arms slightly swaying like a couple of love-struck teenagers.

/

Olivia tapped the keypad of her laptop. The Skype call rang for about half a second before Maya Pope appeared on the screen nursing a glass of red wine. A huge smile flashed across her face when she saw Olivia nestled against a strikingly handsome man. She had never seen Olivia so comfortable with a man.

"Hello, baby girl, is this Fitz?"

"Hey, Mom! And yes. Meet Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third—my boyfriend."

Fitz couldn't wipe the grin off of his face when he heard Olivia refer to him as her '_boyfriend'_. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Pope."

"Likewise, but please call me Maya. Olivia said you were coming down to LA with her, right?"

"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it."

"I don't think that I will be able to take time from work until the end of July. We might have a big client on our hands, but as soon as we get him settled in, we can go." Olivia took a sip of her wine before leaning back into Fitz.

"Whenever is convenient," Maya said through the computer speaker, "Fitz, what is your occupation?"

'_Here comes the rapid-fire interrogation,' _Olivia thought.

"I'm a lawyer. Civil cases mostly."

Maya nodded approvingly, "Have you ever been married?"

"No."

"Any baby-mamas?" Olivia blushed deeply at hearing her mother use slang.

"No."

"Democrat or Republican?"

"Libertarian, but I generally vote Republican."

"Have you ever been convicted of a felony?"

Fitz was trying really hard to keep a straight face.

"No."

"Even a misdemeanor?"

"Well, I was 16, but the charges were dropped."

"Any tattoos?"

"No."

"Favorite Beatles song."

"Come Together."

Maya turned to Olivia, "I approve."

"Well, that's a relief." Olivia laughed. "I didn't know you were arrested."

"Reckless driving. I had just gotten my driver's license and I thought it would be cute to drag race. I got fingerprinted and everything." Fitz's ears turned pink at the admission.

The conversation flowed easily throughout their 'date'. When it was time for Fitz to go, he gave Olivia a tender kiss on the cheek, and bid Maya goodbye before exiting the apartment.

"He's fantastic. How long have you two been together?"

"Almost five weeks."

"Olivia! That dates back to— does Edison know?!"

"No. And he won't. Please don't lecture me. I know I did a shitty thing. Edison and I were never going to work, and the scary thing is that I probably wouldn't have even realized it if I had never met Fitz. I feel awful about the circumstances that Fitz and I began under, but he makes me happy—well more than that—secure. Cherished. Honest." Olivia took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions, "I think I am falling in love with him."

Maya remained silent for a moment as she studied Olivia. "I love you so much, and I can tell that you are 100 times happier with Fitz than you ever were with Edison. I am very disappointed with how you handled Edison, but you can't change anything about that now. Just learn from it. Fitz seems like a genuine man, so treat him with the respect he deserves. Promise me that."

"I promise. Thank-you. I love you."

"I love you too. And just so you know, I am very excited about the possibility of having a mulatto grand baby to love on."

"Woah, now. I think it is time to say goodnight." Olivia joked.

"Well you have to give me _something_ to look forward to in my old age. Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, Mom."

Skype call ended.

* * *

**It is just so easy to pass some shade on to Jake, I couldn't resist. What do you think of this chapter? I kept it pretty light this time, but there is some heavy stuff coming up so stay tuned!**

**Your reviews mean the world to me, so **_**please **_**leave your thoughts. I love your criticism and praise. Where do you want to see Olitz heading?**


	10. Youth

**Hello! I don't really have much to say before this chapter, because I'm afraid I'll give something away. **

**I also want to add that I did not mean anything negative by the comment Mama Pope made about wanting a mixed grandbaby. I'm not sure how it came across as offensive, but I meant for it to be a lighthearted show of approval for Fitz. **

**Anyways, here is chapter #10!**

Youth—Daughter

And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones.  
'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs.  
Setting fire to our insides for fun  
Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong  
The lovers that went wrong.

* * *

"Olivia, come in. Please sit down."

Olivia obediently sat in the chair across from Sally Langston's desk. The worst scenarios were flying through Olivia's mind as she tried to figure out why she was called into the senior partner's office at work. Sally had an icy reputation among her employees. She was stern and had zero tolerance for any fooling around, but she demanded respect from everybody she came to work with. Olivia had not seen much of her, given that Sally didn't hover around the creative lounge and socialize with anyone. Sally Langston's name was used more as a threat when workers were slacking off or producing sub-par work.

"What can I do for you, Mrs. Langston?"

"I received an interesting call from Cyrus Beene this morning. He is interested in our services, but he made a surprising request."

"That's great, right? What did he want?"

"You. He set one condition, and that was for you to head the creative on his campaign."

Her words took Olivia off guard.

"Oh. How do you want me to handle this?"

Sally leaned back in her leather desk chair. She seemed to relax a bit and drop her intimidating front.

"I'll admit that I have never had a client specifically request for an intern to be responsible for an entire campaign. Cyrus Beene is just too important of a client to lose."

Olivia shifted nervously in her seat, trying to figure out the direction that Sally was taking.

"You are a Berkeley graduate, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you plan on obtaining a master's degree or higher?"

"Yes. I wanted to get my career started before starting graduate's school, but I intend to get a MBA degree."

Sally pursed her lips in thought for a moment and then buzzed her secretary.

"Yes, Mrs. Langston," a tiny voice sounded from the speaker.

"Call Jake Ballard in, please."

"Of course."

Two minutes later Jake walked into the office.

"Jake. Please take a seat."

He sat down and shot Olivia a quizzical look.

"We are taking on Cyrus Beene, but Ms. Pope is going to be in charge of his campaign."

Jake took a sharp inhale as he looked incredulously at Sally. "You can't be serious. We are trying to put a man in Congress, and you assign her to it? She's only an _intern_." Jake practically spat at the word, sending unwelcome chills down Olivia's spine.

"Act your age, Ballard." Sally snapped, "It is really unbecoming to try to degrade someone, when it is obvious that they have outperformed you. Cyrus requestedOlivia—no, he _demanded_ that we put her on it. After the sub-par pitch you gave the other day, I can't say I blame him. If I were you, I would focus on where you slipped up in that meeting room. This is final, and if I hear one more whining word from you, then you might be finding yourself in an unpaying situation that is_ not _associated with this firm."

Ballard opened his mouth to say something, but then turned swiftly on his heel and stormed out of the office.

"I'm sorry," Sally said as she shuffled some papers into a neat stack on her desk.

"You don't have to apologize to me. I am honored to be given this opportunity."

"You do realize the consequences of this if you slip up. You represent the entire firm and you cannot afford to make any mistakes."

Olivia nodded.

"But," Sally continued, "If you do a great job on this, then you are promised a job here."

"I promise I won't disappoint you."

"I hope you keep it. I'll make sure you have a larger desk to work at, and I'll put Quinn under your command."

"Thank-you for this opportunity."

"You're welcome. That is all."

/

"I have some exciting news!" Olivia exclaimed into her cell phone. Once she had left Sally's office she went into hyperactive work mode, researching and graphing marketing techniques for Cyrus. She hadn't had a moment to herself until she got off at 5:30.

"Well, what is it?" Fitz asked.

"I am put in charge of the advertising for Cyrus Beene's campaign! He personally asked for me to be the head of it. Sally Langston promised me a permanent, paying job if I succeed at it!" Olivia let out a girlish squeal as it really set in.

"That's fantastic! I'm so proud of you. We should celebrate! I'll bring a bottle of wine by."

"I would love to, but I have a lot of work to prepare for this. Nothing is guaranteed in this, and I am going to have to work my ass off to get it right. How about tomorrow night?"

"That works. 7:30?"

"7:30 sounds great. I have to go. I'm about to wreck in this rush hour traffic. Bye"

/

Olivia grabbed a sandwich on her way home, excited to dive into her new homework. She finished her dinner in her car before going up to her apartment. She found the door unlocked, which was strange considering that Abbey was supposed to be at David's place all day helping him repaint his bedroom.

"Abbey?" Olivia called cautiously into the dark apartment. Maybe she just forgot to unlock it on her way out. It wasn't until she crossed to the kitchen to flip the light switch that she noticed the tall dark figure sitting on the couch.

Olivia's breath caught in her chest, but she tried to sound calm, "I don't know who you are, or what you want, but I will give you a total of thirty seconds to clear the fuck out of here before I call 911 and have you hauled off for breaking and entering."

A deep chuckle rippled from the figure as a slurred baritone voice spoke up, "Relax, Olivia, I just want to talk."

_Shit. Fuck. Daamnit. Edison. And he's drunk._

"Edison, how did you get in?"

"You must forget that we dated for three years, and I still have a key." Edison stood and wobbled a bit before finding his balance. He was very inebriated. Olivia had only seen him that drunk once before, and that ended in three of his friends having to restrain him because he got so unruly and violent. The best thing that Olivia could think to do was keep him calm and call him a cab.

"Edison, why are you so drunk? Did you drive here?"

"No, I walked. But that's not the point. The point is that you played me."

"What?!" Olivia took a precautionary step backwards to put some distance between the two of them.

"You heard me. I'm the fool that you played. I'm the fool that was head over heels in love, thinking that I had found my future wife, but in reality you are nothing but a common _whore_."

"Edison—"

"No! Let me speak." Edison was slowly approaching her. Olivia kept stepping backwards. "I loved you. I was ready to devote my entire life to you, and you couldn't keep your God damn legs together."

She wished that she had accepted Fitz's offer for the evening. The dread of knowing that she was alone with Edison knotted her stomach. At this point, Olivia was cornered against the kitchen counter, "Edison you are drunk, and there is nothing here for you. Go home. I'll call you cab."

There was a menacing gleam in his eyes that made Olivia involuntarily shiver. He was dangerously close. She could smell the alcohol reeking from his breath. "Edison. Get. Away. From. Me. Now." When she tried to slide past him, his large hands roughly wrapped around her wrists causing her to gasp, and immobilizing her.

"I saw you two the other day." Olivia wanted to vomit as his hot breath stuck to her skin. "I saw you two walking like a pair of fucking idiots. Him, in his rich boy suit, and you with the stupidest grin on your face. How much does he pay you? To suck his dick, I mean. I imagine it is generous. You might be a whore, but you are a quality one."

He now had her pinned against the counter with his weight.

Olivia felt her blood boil as she spat, "Go to hell, Edison."

Before she could process his hands releasing her wrists and him backing off of her, a sharp crack sounded against her cheek as she went careening across the hard wood floor, hitting her head against the cabinet.

_Holy shit, he just hit me._

Olivia's head pounded as she tried to stand up. Blood was trickling out of her head as she tried to put as much distance between her and Edison.

A shiny black shoe came down hard on her shin causing a loud crack and a searing pain to shoot up her leg.

"EDISON," Olivia begged. Her vision was getting blurry as she fought the impending drowsiness that was cloaking her senses. A pair of hands roughly pulled her up by her shoulders.

"Shut up!" His hand clamped around her thigh. "I want you to hurt like I did. I want you to feel the pain that you inflicted on me with your loose, slutty ways."

Olivia put all of her effort into trying to escape Edison's grasp, but the pain was becoming unbearable. Her abdomen was convulsing with agony and she started to black out. Warm liquid was dripping down her thighs. Her breath was coming in short gasps. She was on the brink of unconsciousness when she heard a loud metal pang. Edison's head snapped back and the pressure from his hands were ripped off of her.

She fell to the floor and clutched her stomach in an attempt to appease the spine shattering pain ripping through her mid-section. Soft, cool hands softly cradled her face.

"Liv! Liv? Stay with me. Everything is okay. You are safe now…Hello? 911? I need you to send a paramedic to 2461 Warring Street, Apartment 4C. God, there is so much blood. No, she is barely conscious. Please hurry…"

The sound of Abbey's voice sent waves of relief through Olivia's mind, prompting her to drift off into a much welcomed blackness.

* * *

**Please review! I probably won't be able to post another chapter for a couple days, so I'll leave you with this minor cliffhanger.**


	11. Run

**Happy Father's Day! I know I said that I would be a bit longer, but I could not concentrate without thinking about this chapter, so I sort of shirked some minor responsibilities this week to get it done. (I am already staying up too late to post this tonight)**

**Let me put it out there that Edison did ****NOT**** rape Olivia. I realize that with him grabbing her thigh, it might have gotten confusing, but thanks to Abbey, it didn't get that far.**

Run—Snow Patrol

Light up, light up  
As if you have a choice  
Even if you cannot hear my voice  
I'll be right beside you, dear

Louder, louder  
And we'll run for our lives  
I can hardly speak, I understand  
Why you can't raise your voice to say

* * *

"Olivia Pope. Olivia Carolyn Pope. What room?!" Fitz banged his palm on the nurse's desk impatiently.

The nurse shot him a 'you better calm the fuck down' look before typing into the database. "We have her on the 4th floor ER. Only immediate family is all—"

"Thank-you." Fitz called over his shoulder as he sprinted down the hallway to the elevator. The elevator ascended at an insulting pace. He ran a shaky hand through his sweaty curls in an attempt to calm down. He felt so disoriented.

Forty-five minutes ago he was at home watching the news and nursing a beer when he received a phone call from Olivia. Only—instead of Olivia's voice—it was Abbey telling him that Olivia had been attacked in her apartment and was being transported to the hospital.

When the elevator dinged to the 4th floor, Fitz lurched out of it, nearly knocking over a doctor waiting to enter the elevator. He turned into the waiting room to find Abbey sitting in one of the chairs. Her hair was sloppily tied to the top of her head and a smudge of grey paint was behind her ear.

"Yeah, David. I have to go now, Fitz just got here. Bye, babe."

"Where is she? What happened? How bad is—" Fitz felt himself get choked up.

"Fitz, please, calm down. They haven't told me anything yet. I just came home, and Edison had her pinned against the kitchen wall. I didn't know what to do so I panicked and hit him on the head with a skillet. Anyways, Liv was bleeding out of her head really bad. I think her leg was broken. There was so much blood so I don't know. It could be worse. I wish I had gotten there earlier, damn it. I called Maya and she is flying up here immediately."

"Edison didn't?" Fitz felt the hairs on his arm prickle with rage.

"No. I don't know if he had that in mind, but it didn't get that far."

"Where is that bastard?"

"He is being treated somewhere else in this hospital. I don't know where, honestly. I imagine the dick-head-I-think-it-is-okay-to-lay-my-hands-on-a-woman ward is taking good care of him. I wish I had given his skull a second bashing while it was justifiable under 'self-defense.'"

Fitz muttered some viscous adjectives under his breath and started to step away, hell bent on finding Edison.

"Don't!" Abbey grabbed his arm and pulled back with all of her strength. "Stop it. I want to hang him by his nuts just as bad as you do, but think about Olivia. The doctors could be out here any minute with news."

Fitz plopped down in one of the chairs and tried to occupy his mind away from the murderous job he wanted to perform on Edison. After about fifteen minutes a doctor came into the waiting room.

"Dr. Copeland!" Abbey flagged him down. "I'm Olivia Pope's roommate. Can you tell me how she is doing? How bad were the injuries?"

Dr. Copeland cleared his throat, "She has a nasty concussion. We have her under close observation watching for short-term memory loss and other complications. Luckily, her leg was not fractured. Her tibia is deeply bruised. She will probably be in a brace for two or three weeks. She has multiple bruises and scrapes, but those will heal in time, as well." He paused for a second before continuing cautiously, "Were you aware of her pregnancy?"

"Liv was pregnant?" Abbey turned to Fitz. Fitz's jaw was hanging open as the news hit him like a ton of bricks.

"I'm sorry, but the baby was miscarried." Dr. Copeland shifted uncomfortably in his lab coat. "She lost the baby in the apartment where she was attacked. She was five weeks along."

"Five weeks." Fitz muttered to himself in disbelief. That was the night they met. He had sworn that he used a condom. Then again, he couldn't remember much about that night other than how fantastic she was. Nonetheless, they had a talk afterwards and she told him she was on a birth control pill.

"Normal protocol for victims suffering a concussion is a 24-hour observation period and then discharge, but I think it would be best to keep her here for an additional 48 hours in case any complications arise from the miscarriage."

"Can I see her?" Fitz asked.

"She is resting. I can't allow you—"

"That was my child that was lost today._ Can. I. Go. See. Her?_" Fitz took an unintentionally threatening step towards Dr. Copeland.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to respect the rules of the hospital."

"I'm sorry." Fitz retreated. "I promise I won't wake her. I swear. I just need to see her. Please. That was my _child_."

Dr. Copeland's brow furrowed as he looked into Fitz's crystal blue, pleading eyes. "Alright. But don't you dare wake her."

"Thank-you, doctor." Fitz followed the doctor down the corridor. When they reached outside of her room, Dr. Copeland left to get back to his work.

Fitz took a deep breath as he entered the room. Tears stung his eyes when he saw her laying listlessly in the white sheets. She was so peaceful despite the horrible atrocities splayed across her skin. Her left leg was casted and held up in a stirrup. His eyes followed the IV shooting out of her arm until they rested on her wrist. There were cuffs of deep purple bruises where Edison's hands had restrained her. Her cheek was swollen and her eye was puffy.

Fitz dragged a chair to her bedside. He sat there in silence for the longest time just watching her breathe. He wanted to take her wrists into his hands and kiss the bruises away. He felt tears silently slide down his face and drip onto his collar. He lowered his head to rest by her fingertips.

"I love you, Livvie." He lightly kissed her knuckles. "I love you so much, and I'm so sorry that this happened."

Minutes later he was asleep against her bedside.

/

Olivia awoke to a splitting headache. Her mind tried to fight the fatigue as she tried to sort out her surroundings. After a certain amount of pain around her cheek she managed to open her eyes. The image of the sterile white walls cut through any sleepiness as she panicked at memory of what happened. She saw her leg hoisted a few inches off of the bed. The sight of Fitz's curls resting by her hand caused her heart to pound with relief. _Fitz! _She extended her fingers, stretching them to graze his scalp. Twirling a lock around her finger, she tugged it in an attempt to wake him. It took several more tries before she succeeded in waking him.

"Hi."

It was all her cracked lips could make out.

"Hi."

"What happened?" Fitz moved up to be closer to her face. He tenderly brushed some of her hair away from her face.

"How much do you remember?" He didn't know too much about head injuries, but he knew that memory loss could be a result.

Olivia started slow, still fighting her headache, "I remember Edison waiting for me at the apartment. He used his old key. He was drunk. Really violently drunk. He confronted me about you—about us. He saw us the other day. And then he hit me. And then…" Tears started to slide down her swollen cheek.

"Shh. Don't cry. You are safe now. I'm here. He won't ever lay a hand on you again. I'll make sure of it, I swear."

Fitz helped her adjust the bed to where she was sitting more upright.

"Abbey?"

"She took care of Edison. She took a frying pan to the back of his head."

"Good. How bad is it?" She shot a look down to her wrapped leg.

"It isn't fractured, but it is bruised deep. The doctors said you would have to wear a brace for a couple weeks. You have a concussion, and you, well, you had a miscarriage."

Olivia was speechless. The memories of the painful contractions she experienced on her kitchen floor arose from her memory. Her hand flew to her stomach as deep sobs started to rock her moved to sit on the edge of her bed and drew her into his arms the best he could without hurting her bruised body.

"I was pregnant?"

"Five weeks. The night we met."

"I am on the pill. I don't understand."

"I don't either."

Fitz held her close, because that was all he knew to do. He didn't know what to say. He certainly was not ready to be a father, but there was no way in hell he wouldn't be one if it did happen.

After a couple minutes, a nurse came in and asked Olivia some questions, checked her vitals and gave her some water and pain medication. When she left, Olivia asked to see Abbey, so Fitz went out to retrieve her. He left them alone to their private time and went to find a snack machine.

"Hey, Liv. How are you holding up?"

"I'm holding up. Thank-you…for finding me and taking care of Edison"

"You know that it's been a dream of mine to whack someone with a skillet. In fact, I couldn't have picked a better target." She joked, "I'm just really glad that you are okay."

"You know I had a miscarriage?"

"Yeah."

Olivia fought the tidal wave of emotion. "I'm so confused and scared at the same time."

"About what?"

"About the possibility of being pregnant. I don't want to have a child at twenty two, and especially not with someone who I have only known for five weeks. It's just that when Fitz told me, I felt like someone had ripped a part of me from me. It was as if I already loved my unborn child before I even knew it. It is just so conflicting. And the worst part is that I don't know how Fitz feels about this. I don't know if it will scare him off or if he will treat me differently now."

"Liv, when the doctor told us that you miscarried, Fitz was really surprised. Like, I thought he was going to pass out. But once that wore off, he had the saddest eyes. He asked the doctor if he could go in to see you because it was _his_ child that was lost, too. I'm not saying that he intentionally knocked you up, but something tells me that he would have been a great father to that child. You need to have this conversation with Fitz. I may not have the best judgment when it comes to relationships, but Fitz walking out on you seems like the last of your worries."

Abbey sat with her for a little bit longer and they talked about small things, trying to regain a sense of normalcy. Eventually, Abbey glanced at her phone's clock and decided it was time to go home to sleep.

"I'll be staying at David's tonight. Your mom is flying in tomorrow morning. We can work out details with how you want to go about Edison another day. You need your rest tonight. Do you need me to do anything for you before I leave?"

"Could you send an e-mail from my phone to Quinn Perkins and Sally Langston explaining what happened? Their addresses should be in my contacts. Be vague on the details, I don't want this circulating around the office. Just tell her that I was in an accident and am at the hospital, and I'll be back at work as soon as possible."

"Sure thing, Liv."

"Thanks. You are the best friend I could ask for."

"Nah, you just so happen to be stuck with me."

After she left, Olivia checked the clock for the first time. _1:34. _She was reminded of how much her body was exhausted from all of the aches. The pain medication was settling in too making her drowsy. As she was reclining her bed to sleep in, Fitz returned with a collapsible cot.

"Dr. Copeland snuck this to me. He's a really nice guy. Is it okay if I stay here with you tonight? I mean, I'll leave if you want."

"No. Stay. Please." After he set it up next to her bed and settled on it he leaned over to kiss her on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Livvie."

Olivia needed his contact on her skin throughout the night, so she extended her hand to his and intertwined their fingers.

* * *

**I apologize if I got any medical facts wrong. I think Anatomy was my lowest grade in high school. Google came in handy on this one.**

**So, Liv had a miscarriage. I know some of you guys had questions about contraception from day 1, so I hope that ties it up. **

**Please review! Your reviews on the last chapter blew me away. It is so great to know what I am doing right and/or wrong. **


	12. In This Shirt

**I apologize for the mini-hiatus. I felt like someone hit me in the back of the head with a blunt object commonly called writer's block. Eventually, I ended up in a 10 hour car ride with nothing to do but write or stare out at corn fields, so this is the product. **

**Also, can I do a dose of shameless self-promotion? If you like this song, it would be cool if you went to YouTube and type in "In This Shirt Lucretia's School Of Dance". It should be the first video (uploaded by Emily New). That is me and my sister dancing to it last year for her recital. So yeah, this song means a lot to me.**

In This Shirt—The Irrepressibles

There's a crack  
Looking down  
All these things  
That we were  
I am raised  
In the night  
In the angel's smile

I am lost  
In a rainbow  
Now a rainbow is gone  
I am lost

* * *

Olivia reluctantly opened her eyes to the glaring sun. She slowly sat up, brushing the sand off of her back. She was at a beach. An unfamiliar one, which was unusual considering that she had seen pretty much every beach on the Californian coast. The ocean was listless before her, and behind her giant cliffs of sand dunes obscured her view of anything else. She stood up, and arched her back to stretch. The sand beneath her toes started to become warmer. It felt pleasant beneath her chilled skin, until it turned hot. The sand turned a disgusting blood red color as it started to burn the soles of her feet. She instinctively hopped from one foot to the other._ The ocean._ That seemed like the only relief in sight. She sprinted towards the vast blue as the skin on her heels started to blister. She desperately ran into the cool water until it was to her neck. The water turned rough as she tried to swim into the deeper water. Instead of waves breaking, they just swelled up and down at six foot peaks. She tried to jump with them to keep her head above water, but her feet remained weighed to the ocean floor. Struggling valiantly against the waves that offered only a millisecond of relief before covering her again, she started to choke on salt water. The briny water burned her lungs as it spread waves of panic beneath her skin. The water turned a menacing black as a final wave hit her across the face, knocking her cold.

/

Olivia awoke drenched form head to toe in a cold sweat. A concerned nurse was bent over, checking her pulse and trying to flash a light in her eyes.

"Are you okay, sweetie? It was just a nightmare. Here, take these with some water."

Olivia eagerly popped the offered pills into her mouth and swallowed a gulp of water. Her headache had subsided to a dull rumble—something like a persistent hangover. After the nurse asked the basic check-up questions, she left to go on to the next patient. Fitz was still fast asleep on the cot next to her. His hand was still extended, palm up, as if he was requesting her to hold it again.

Olivia laid there in her hospital bed and focused on relaxing. The nightmare had left her with an unbridled sense of anxiety on top of what uneasiness she was feeling about being in a hospital. The sooner she could heal, the sooner she could get out of the hospital and back to how her life was before. Every time she thought about Edison's hand marking her cheek or his fingers pressing into her thigh, the deep urge to vomit coursed through her abdomen. It made her want to crawl out of her skin and never return. Even worse, every time she looked at Fitz's large form snoozing at her fingertips, she was reminded of the child that was lost. She occupied her mind with work, mentally mapping out the presentation she would give to Cyrus in a couple days. She grabbed her phone off of the table and answered her emails.

By the time she finished a long email instructing Quinn with what to do, she saw her mother standing in the door frame with an expression she had never seen before. It was pure compassion coated in relief, but something else hidden beneath it all.

"My baby! I'm so glad you are alright." Maya crossed the room to be by Olivia's side. When she saw Fitz, she immediately lowered her voice to a soft whisper. "The nurse told me you just woke up. I'll be staying here as long as you want me to."

"Thanks, mom. They said they would release me in two days."

"How are you feeling?" Maya ran her cool fingertips across Olivia's unbruised cheek.

"Fine. Well, relatively fine. The pain medication they have me on is really good. I still have a headache, and these bruises feel like they look." Olivia paused as the pain of what she had to say stung her throat and threatened to bring tears to her eyes. "Did they tell you I had a miscarriage?"

"Yes, honey. They did." Maya shot a cautious glance at Fitz who was still asleep. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I don't even want to think about it."

Maya nodded understandingly. "If you don't want to handle it, I can take care of Edison. Just let me know what you want to do—if you want to press charges or not. They have him on another floor, handcuffed to the bed. They release him tonight. I'll let you take a little while to think about it."

"I want him to burn in hell—or prison. Whichever one is quicker."

Fitz began to shift in his sleep, mumbling some words involving his dream.

"I'll make sure he is transported to the jail once he is discharged. You will need a lawyer. I've got some good contacts here that I can get to represent you."

"I can do it." Fitz's voice made both Maya and Olivia jump. His eyes were sleepy, but his voice was firm. "That is, if you want me to." He sat up and ran a hand through his tousled curls, trying to control his bed head.

"We'll talk about it." Olivia offered weakly. Then remembered her mother was there. "Fitz, this is my mom. Mom, this is Fitz."

"I was expecting to meet under sunnier circumstances, but I'm glad to meet you, Mrs. Pope." He extended his hand.

"Maya." She shook his hand with a mockingly stern voice. "Don't make me tell you again…Wow, Liv. He's even more handsome in person."

"_Mom!_" Fitz's ears turned pink, but he found it hilarious how Olivia sounded like a stereotypical embarrassed teenager.

"Alright, Alright. I get it. I'm going to go make some calls. Let me know if you need anything."

Maya turned sharply on her heel and walked out into the lobby.

"How do you feel?" Fitz lifted her hand delicately, still mindful of her bruised wrists, and placed a tender kiss in her palm.

"Better."

She offered him a weak smile, not fully looking him in the eyes. This sent signals of alarm through Fitz. The night before, she was so much more open and vulnerable. Now, it was as if she was trying to put on any icy brave front. She withdrew her hand from his lips and pulled it back to her lap.

"Is there anything you need? Anything I can get you?"

"I should probably take a shower."

"Can I help you? Shower?" A glint of hope flashed across his face.

"No." it came out a bit harsher than Olivia meant. "Sorry, I just don't want to mess anything up with this stupid cast thing on my leg. I think a nurse would be better."

"Okay. I'll go get one. How about I go home and get a shower of my own and then bring some food back? You have to be starving, and I wouldn't trust the cafeteria food here. What should I get you?"

The sound of food reminded Olivia of how famished he was. "Food would be nice. And I don't care."

"Okay, Livvie. I'll be back in 45 minutes." He bent to kiss her forehead. Surprisingly, she almost pulled away from his touch. Fitz wondered if it was because of her headache, so he apologized and ducked out of the room to find a nurse.

/

Once the nurse helped Olivia into the shower with her cumbersome cast, Olivia had a chance to really see her injuries. Thigh was deep purple in an almost perfect hand grip design. Her wrists ached as the rings around them resembled handcuffs. She couldn't see her face, but she could feel the slight swelling of her cheek and the pain that came with smiling. She was sore in places she would only discuss with her gynecologist—which she assumed were side-effects from the miscarriage. Overall, she was just exhausted despite the large amount of sleep she had. It was almost as if the bruises were sucking all of her energy as well as dignity with her.

Olivia finished washing herself and immediately felt some of her anxiety subside. She soaked under the water stream as she let her mind sort out how to deal with Edison. She didn't want Fitz to feel obligated to represent her. He had his own work to do, and she didn't want to drag him further into her personal soap opera drama. She did, however, want to show Edison absolutely zero mercy. She hoped he didn't think he was going to get off easy because she cared about him at one point. One thing was for sure, and that was that he was going to get his maximum sentence in the grimiest prison in the state of California.

She retrieved a towel and fresh hospital gown from the nurse as she slipped back into the bed. Thankfully, the nurse didn't put her leg back up in that ridiculous sling mechanism, allowing a little more mobility and comfort.

Maya came back in and kept Olivia company until Fitz returned with a large bag of Chinese takeout.

"I know that you only eat Chinese occasionally because of its high calories or whatever, but I think you deserve it. Plus the fatty carbs in it will give you some energy… I think." A boyish grin lit his face up. "I brought some extra for you, Maya. If you want it."

Olivia gratefully accepted her food and wolfed it down in seconds. Fitz tried to hide his smile as he slid the remainder of his over to her, which she devoured just as quickly.

"Mom, can I have a moment alone with Fitz?"

"Of course. I'll be out in the waiting room if you need me."

Maya gathered their lunch trash and deposited it in the trash can on the way out.

"Fitz, I don't want you to be my lawyer through this." Her voice was uncharacteristically cold. Fitz knew something was wrong—well of course something was wrong, she was lying broken in a hospital bed because her ex-boyfriend decided to use her as a punching bag—but there seemed to be something else.

"Okay. Whatever you want, baby."

Olivia dropped her eyes and nodded.

"Livvie, what's the matter?" Fitz's hand came to rub circles against her back.

"Nothing." She replied in a tone that immediately made Fitz withdraw his hand. Olivia didn't mean to be so short with him, but her emotions were such a fucking mess. She didn't want to be alone, because that meant she was alone to her thoughts, but Fitz was just muddling her emotions even more.

* * *

**Sorry this one was kind of brief, but I needed a divider (remember in the beginning when I said I had depressing music taste? Well this is me spreading shit out, so I can use all my favorite songs). So, Olivia is pushing Fitz away, but maybe she just need time to sort out what she feels? ... Your reviews are the gasoline to this flame, and I can't express how much they mean to me. I promise it won't be long until I upload the next chapter.**


	13. Falling Out Of Trees

**Okay, all I will say is that this chapter broke my heart…in a good way. I'm not a crier, but I was balling by the end of the chapter. The last two minutes of this song just knock it out of me. every. time.**

Falling Out Of Trees—Barcelona

I've got this now  
My legs are steady now  
The angels warned me  
Never to fall down

* * *

Olivia was cutting him out. It was simple as that. All day the previous day she was short and quiet with him. Cold, really, and not showing any signs of affection. He didn't know what to do other than give her space. He slept at his apartment that night, or at least tried to sleep. He brought her computer and some magazines for her to read while she was stuck in bed for the next day.

Dr. Copeland had gone back on his original diagnosis to keep her for three days, and gave her the green light to be dismissed on the second night, given that she was recovering very quickly. He made her promise, though, to stay off of her feet the following day.

Fitz was going to drive her home that night. Abbey had already cleaned up the mess of blood from the kitchen. Maya was going to fly back the next day too.

They sat there in silence that evening as Olivia thumbed through the most recent issue of Time Magazine. Fitz was in a chair against the wall flipping through paperwork from his work, not wanting to crowd her.

He rubbed his tired eyes and glanced up to see Dr. Copeland breeze past the door. "I'll be right back, Liv."

_No reply_

Fitz speed walked after Dr. Copeland until he caught his arm. "Doctor, can I ask you some questions?"

"Sure Mr. Grant, what is it?"

"I'm worried about Olivia. She is physically healing fine, but I'm worried about emotionally. I know that the miscarriage hit her hard, and I don't know what to do."

"Come into my office and we can talk about this more." Dr. Copeland solemnly led him to his oak paneled office and motioned for Fitz to take a seat across from the large desk.

As he rummaged through his file cabinet, Fitz elaborated, "The night that she was brought in, when I sat there until she woke up, she was fine. Well, certainly not _fine_, but she was grieving and seeking comfort in me. She let me put my arms around her. Now, she won't even look me in the eye. Every time I try to touch her, she flinches or snaps at me. I don't know anything about psychological complications from going through what she went through, but I'm really worried. She's usually very open and affectionate with me. I don't know if I should just give her space to cope, or be worried."

Dr. Copeland pulled a couple of pamphlets from his cabinet and set them in front of Fitz.

_How to move past a miscarriage_

_Therapy for the domestically abused_

"Different people cope different ways. Ms. Pope has been through a lot. More than I would wish on my worst enemies. Depression is a common result of miscarriages even when mothers are not aware of their pregnancy. I was going to recommend some therapy to her tonight before we discharged her, but if this is as serious as you say, then I might require it. Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

"I know that you and Olivia have not been together for long at all, so, if the baby had not been miscarried, then what would your intentions have been?"

"I love her." Admitting the words to someone for the first time took his breath away for a second, "I would have held her hand through it all, and been the best father I could be to him or her. I'm not saying that I want fatherhood right now. It scared the shit out of me, but I love her, and I will never treat her with any less than the respect she deserves."

Dr. Copeland nodded to himself for a second. "Does she know that?"

"Yes." Fitz answered uncertainly. He hoped she did.

"Have you sat down with her and told her that?"

"No."

"Well, I'm no 'couple's therapist' but you need to sit down with her and make sure that she knows how serious you are. A lot of different emotions are probably circling around her head right now, and she doesn't know where you stand. Talk to her. If you don't see any changes in her behavior, then set up an appointment with the therapist in this pamphlet."

"Thanks, Dr. Copeland."

"No problem." He glanced at his wall clock. "We can actually release her now. Unless you want to talk to her beforehand?"

"I think it would do her some good to get out of these white walls. I'll talk to her tonight when I take her home."

"Sounds good. It'll take me a minute to get the paperwork together for her to sign."

"I can't thank you enough." Fitz stood and extended his hand.

"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to give me a call. She is lucky to have you."

Fitz mumbled, "I think it's the other way around." as he left the office.

/

Fitz helped Olivia into his car. She was given a crutch to help her walk with her leg. The bulky cast had been reduced to a black brace that covered her shin and better half of her foot.

When they were driving down the interstate to her apartment, Fitz left his palm open on the console in case she wanted to hold his hand. Instead she sat with her chin in her hand against the window. The ride was awkwardly silent as they pulled into the parking lot of her building. He noticed her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

When he got around to open her door, she didn't move to get up. Confused, Fitz went to unbuckle her seatbelt for her. She sharply jerked away. She took a deep, almost ragged, breath as if she was trying to stop tears.

"Livvie." Fitz dropped to be eye level with her. "What is wrong? Open up to me. Let me help."

"I don't want to go back to my apartment." _sniffle _"I don't feel safe there…I mean, the kitchen is where…"

"Edison is in jail. He can't hurt you. I'm here to protect you. Do you want to stay at my place?"

_a subtle nod._

"Okay. Don't cry, baby. Everything is going to be alright."

He drove her to his apartment. The ride was just as silent as before, but a small layer of her resistance was peeled away. She still didn't hold his hand, but she wasn't pressed against the window either.

He helped her out of the car and retrieved her crutch. She insisted, without saying a word, on walking independently so he let her. When he unlocked the door and led her inside, she went immediately for the couch. She set her crutch down and laid down on the couch to elevate her leg. Fitz saw this a good enough time to talk.

"Liv, can we talk for a minute."

"About what?"

Fitz sat on the edge of the coffee table across from her.

"About the miscarriage."

Automatically, her hand went to her stomach as her eyes resembled something like a cornered animal. She quickly looked down as she offered a submissive nod.

"Can you look at me when I say this?"

She reluctantly brought her eyes to his. They were wide and wet with unshed tears.

"I love you. I knew I loved you before I found out about the miscarriage and before you ended up in the hospital. I knew I loved you when you gave Big Gerry a piece of his mind. I knew I loved you when you agreed to watch my weird ass art-house movies and not complain. I knew I loved you every single time I saw your hair spread out like a halo around my pillow when you woke up next to me. I knew I loved you when I saw myself become a better person, just from being in the same room as you. _I love you._" He reached to take her hand in his, which she didn't fight. "And although I don't think of it as an ideal situation, if you were to have my child after only knowing you for nine months, I would love him or her and I would not leave your side for one second of it." He brought her hand to his lips and placed a perfect little kiss on it. "If space is what you need, then I'll give it to you. Just _please_ don't shut me out. I want to help you through this pain that you are feeling. Just let me in."

They sat there staring at each other until Olivia slowly sat up and brought his hand to her unbruised cheek. She moved her forehead until it rested against his. A solitary second of silence hung between them as they just breathed and cherished each other's nearness.

"I was so scared—"

She crashed her lips against his. Hungrily, she moved against his lips, taking in all that she had lost the last two days, seeking reassurance and security. Her tongue was ten times softer than he remembered as it slid between his parted lips. Her hand went through his hair like he craved as she kissed his jaw and neck and cheek—claiming him back. It was crazy how two days seemed like an eternity when losing her felt like an option.

"When you told me about the miscarriage, I was so fucking confused. I don't want to have a baby, but it was almost as if I loved the little thing. Then there was you. I didn't know what you thought. If it was going to scare you away, or stick around out of a sense of obligation." Fitz kissed her nose. "I had an awful dream the second night in the hospital, I have no idea what it meant, but it just made me even more terrified." Fitz kissed her cheek. "I'm so sorry…"

He withdrew a little bit, so they were looking in each other's eyes. "You don't have to apologize for anything." Fitz positioned them on the couch to where she was in his lap with her legs to the left of them.

Olivia hesitated for a second before continuing. "I don't want you to feel obligated or tied down, but would you be my lawyer? I know that I said no earlier, but I wasn't myself. I want you to represent me."

"Really?" A big grin spread across his lips. "Thank-you. Personally making sure that Edison rots in hell seems like the second best thing I could do at this moment."

Olivia raised an eyebrow. "And what would the first best thing be?"

"Would you rather me tell you or show you?" He breathed against her cheek.

"Show me." Her hand was resting comfortably against his neck and stroking the curls at the base of his neck.

He tilted her chin up to look at her plump lips just asking for it. With only millimeters between them, he leaned in to fondly take her bottom lip between his. They continued for the rest of the evening talking intimately to each other between sweet, long-missed kisses. As the sun started to set, they were both exhausted so Olivia asked to take a shower.

"Can I help? There isn't a nurse around, and I don't trust you in there with your leg. You could slip."

Olivia smiled as she pulled a hand up to stroke his ear. "Please. I want you to."

Despite her half-hearted protests, Fitz carried her to the shower. He gently set her on the counter and gave her a quick peck on the lips—thanking God that he could do such a thing—before setting the water to warm up. Carefully unfastening the Velcro, he slid it off. The bruise was grotesquely painted in greens, blues and purples as they both stared at it in disgust for the first time.

Finally, Olivia put her hands on Fitz's hips as she pulled him close to her, resting her head against his chest. He pulled her hair off of her neck and lowered his head to plant a kiss on her ear. He was determined to love her back to one piece. She lifted her arms up, inviting him to take her shirt off. He gladly obliged, kissing her newly exposed shoulder and partially covered breasts. Olivia softly sucked his lower lip as his fingers expertly undid the clasp on her bra and slid it down to the tile floor.

She shuddered slightly from a chill as he helped her stand on her good leg and slid her athletic shorts down to her ankles, being extra cautious around her bruised shin. She leaned on him heavily as he lifted her into the shower stream.

The time that Fitz spent in the shower with Olivia that night went down as sacred. He worshipped her body like it was the first time he had ever seen it. Every time she became self-conscious of her bruises and would try to turn away from him, he would only kiss her marks to let her know that his love was deeper than what any other man could do to her. He was her gladiator. He loved her. That was enough to take her scattered, disoriented life and mold it into what seemed like a manageable heap. All that Olivia knew was that while his arms were lathering geometric patterns of soap onto her back, she was filled with a sense of comfort and security that she thought had been stripped away from her.

When they finished showering, Fitz dried off and went to retrieve one of his Stanford T Shirts to wrap Olivia in. He secured the brace back on her leg and carried her off to his bed. Tucking her in, he went to get a glass of water to set by her night stand in case she got thirsty in the middle of the night.

He slipped into a pair of pajama pants and crawled into the bed behind her. Their positioning was somewhat awkward, given her sensitive areas of skin and the huge boot in the bed, but they were both so content that to wish for it to be any different seemed blasphemous.

* * *

**I promise that I had some intention of dragging their rough patch out, but unfortunately I am just as soft for happy Olitz as you guys are. I'm convinced that I would make a terrible TV writer because I would just get too attached to the characters and make them run in circles into the sunset haha. This is no guarantee of smooth sailing, but whatever. **

**Review! {pretty please}**


	14. You and I

**Hello! Sorry, it has been like a week or so. It was a product of a jellyfish wrapping itself around my hand and pure procrastination. **

**On a separate note, it is kind of crazy that this has over 30k words. You guys have been so gracious, and I can't thank you enough for your kind words and support. I am nowhere near being done with this story, I just wanted to let you know that this much would not have happened if you guys weren't there for me.**

You And I—Ingrid Michaelson

Well, you might be a bit confused  
And you might be a little bit bruised  
But baby, how we spoon like no one else  
So I will help you read those books  
If you will soothe my worried looks  
And we will put the lonesome on the shelf

Oh, let's get rich and buy our parents homes in the South of France  
Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters and teach them how to dance  
Let's get rich and build a house on a mountain  
Making everybody look like ants from way up there,  
You and I, you and I

* * *

"Good morning, Livvie." Fitz smiled as a low, annoyed groan escaped her throat. "Rise and shine, beautiful. We have a big day of staying in bed together and not doing anything in particular."

Through sleepy eyes and an aura of morning breath, Olivia squinted up to see Fitz stood there shirtless in sweatpants with a tray of breakfast.

"How's your leg? Do you need more pain meds?" Fitz set the tray on the bed next to her on the bed and brushed the unruly hair from her eyes before placing a kiss on her forehead.

"No, I'm fine. Thank-you." Olivia propped herself up on her elbows. "How about I go brush my teeth, and then you help me eat this in bed?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Olivia hobbled into the bathroom, and when she returned, Fitz had situated the pillows to make a nest for her against his arms. She willingly snuggled into his arms as he fed her strawberries and cantaloupe. When they finished, Fitz's hand slid under her shirt and traced unassuming figure eights against her stomach with his fingetips.

"You can stay here if you want. You don't have to go back to your apartment. I would love for you to stay here with me forever." She could feel him smile against her hair.

"I can't stay here _forever_…" The thought of having to walk through the kitchen made her shudder, but she knew that eventually she would have to face reality.

"Just stay here until you are comfortable."

"Okay." Olivia whispered as she turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his torso. "Now, please don't make me lay in bed all day." She offered her best pouty lips as she craned her neck to plant a kiss on his chiseled jaw. She could feel the vibrations of his chuckle as she kissed his Adam's apple.

"You heard the doctor. There is no way that I am letting you out of this apartment. I have to make sure that my sweet baby heals completely."

"So you are just going to keep me prisoner here?"

"Oh, come on!" Fitz jokingly turned her head to where she was staring him in the eyes. "It beats that hospital room. I don't think my ego could take the blow of you admitting that Dr. Copeland is better company or better looking."

"Don't you have a job or something?"

"They understand."

"Don't I have a job?"

"I'm pretty sure that they understand. I promise you can go back to being a workaholic tomorrow. There is no way in hell that I am letting you walk into that office in the condition you are in."

"But what about—" Fitz silenced her complaints with an aggressive kiss, effectively taking Olivia's breath away.

"Your mother is bringing some clothes and stuff over for lunch. I invited Abbey and David to come over tonight for a movie night. I let her pick the movie, but I have no idea how good her taste is. Face it. You are stuck here."

"Fine. You win." Olivia muttered in defeat into his chest, tapping her fingertips against his forearms. "Thank-you." She whispered barely audibly into his skin.

"How about we go out on the balcony?"

The fresh air did wonders to lift her spirit. She forgot how breathtaking the view from his balcony was. It overlooked the morning fog that hung close to the ground like a blanket illuminated by the rising sun. Other scattered skyscrapers penetrated the golden mist.

She was surprised when Fitz told her to lay down on her stomach on one of the deck chair. He propped her leg up with some pillows and made sure she was comfortable then disappeared into the apartment. She craned her neck to see where he went, but couldn't see.

"Take off your shirt." He reappeared obviously holding something behind his back with a mischievous grin.

"Oh my, aren't you subtle."

"Just take your, or should I say _my,_ shirt. Or I'll do it for you."

Olivia sheepishly glanced around to make sure nobody could see them—which was ludicrous considering that Fitz had the top floor apartment—and slid his t shirt off of her, leaving her in her underwear and leg brace.

"God, you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen." Fitz whispered as he sat on the edge of the chair and kissed her shoulder blade. "Now relax." He eased her off of her propped elbows. "And let me take care of you."

"Fitz, what are you—oh."

His large hands spread a cool oil smelling like lavender over her shoulders as he started kneading and massaging her skin. Olivia felt like she had died and gone to heaven. His hands caressing her body were better than any medicine that Dr. Copeland could prescribe as she felt the stress and fatigue slip away. She didn't know how tense she was until she felt herself unwind beneath his hands. He worked from her shoulders down to her hips, and then her legs, mindful of the bruises.

When he finished, he left her there, half naked, and pulled a chair up next to her and reclined in it. She grabbed his hand and pulled it to her lips.

"Fitz, why are you so good to me?"

"Because I love you." He caressed her face and gingerly touched her bruised cheek. "Your cheek looks a lot better. The swelling has gone down."

"It feels a lot better."

They laid out in the morning sun until Fitz reminded her that her mother was coming in thirty minutes. They showered together and washed all of the oils off of her skin. He gave her a fresh t-shirt to wear and a pair of sweatpants. He laughed as she struggled to keep his oversized pants up her hips.

"I don't think I would want to explain to your mother why you are _only_ wearing my shirt."

"Touché."

Ten minutes later, Maya showed up with multiple bags of food from the grocery store and a duffle bag of Olivia's clothes. Olivia immediately went off to change out of Fitz's clothes.

Once she was out of earshot, Fitz turned to Maya, "There is something I want to do for Olivia, and I need your help."

/

Olivia was so happy to be walking into the lobby of her work. She had managed to organize the heaping amounts of work that awaited her into manageable stacks that she planned to tackle today. She masterfully covered up her bruised cheek with makeup and wore a light, chiffon, long sleeved shirt to cover her wrists. They knew that she was hospitalized, but they didn't know what for. She was going to keep it that way, too.

She was sure that news of her miniature promotion had spread through the workplace, she just wasn't sure how well it was being received. Given Jake's blow-up in Sally's office, her imagination was going wild with what he could be telling her co-workers. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind as she saw an empty desk with a fresh, new name plate on it reading _Olivia Pope._ It was equipped with a stapler and cup of pens.

"Welcome back." Sally Langston's warm, southern accent crept up behind Olivia causing her to jump a little bit.

"Thank-you. Is this…?"

"Yours. I promised it, didn't I? I'll let you catch up on what you missed while you were out. I expect an update on Mr. Beene by the end of the week." With that, she turned and went back into her office leaving.

Olivia giddily set her desk up, making a mental note to get some pictures to personalize it later.

"Olivia! I'm so glad you're back." Quinn walked up to Olivia's desk. Quinn was an intern that was hired at the same time as Olivia. She had a cheerful disposition and always seemed enthusiastic about her work. Quinn filled her in on what she missed in her absence. Apparently Jake hadn't been saying much of anything but was borderline melodramatic in his sulking. '_How immature,' _Olivia thought.

They busied themselves working on strategies and visuals. Olivia made a call to Cyrus's campaign office to set up a meeting. She opted to do it at their headquarters in Sacramento since he had already wasted a visit to their office the first time. The day flew by quickly, and before she knew it, it was 5:30 and Fitz was calling her. He insisted on driving her to and from work that day since her right foot was in the brace and she wasn't used to driving with her left foot yet.

"Hey, babe."

"Hello, gorgeous. Did you get a lot of work done today?"

"Yeah. I'll be ready in about fifteen minutes, if you want to start on your way."

"I'll be waiting outside."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"Bye Liv."

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Fitz was leaning against his car. He looked like one of those car advertisements were the driver was much more attractive and distracting than the sleek sports car beneath him. He helped Olivia into the passenger seat, putting her crutch in the back, and kissing her soundly on the lips.

"Is that what you wore to work today?" Olivia questioned his casual khakis and light blue button down shirt which his sleeves were rolled up with arms.

"No." Fitz replied simply trying to hide his grin. He slid his hand across the console to intertwine his fingers with hers

She studied his face for a moment trying to decipher what he was hiding from her. After a couple minutes she looked back towards the road.

"Fitz, where are you taking me? This isn't the way to your apartment."

Fitz's lips remained tightly pressed shut as he focused on maneuvering the rush hour traffic.

Olivia desperately searched their surroundings, trying to make sense of where he was taking her. There weren't really any restaurants around, so he couldn't be taking her to dinner, plus he wasn't dressed for it. When he pulled off of the main road, it finally donned on her.

"Why are we at my new apartment? My lease doesn't start until—"

"Shhh, Livvie." Fitz reached across to kiss her cheek before getting out and circling the car to help her out. "Just trust me."

Olivia reluctantly followed him up to her apartment door, trying to piece together what he could have done. He handed her the key to the door and stepped aside, allowing her to open the door.

He let her walk in a couple steps ahead to let her absorb her surroundings.

"Oh. My. God. Fitz, did you do this?"

"Your mother and Abbey helped me." Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her ear as she gaped at her new apartment. They had moved her in for her. The detail was meticulous down to the placement of the picture frames. "The landlady let me move you in a couple days early. You are still welcome to stay at my place for as long as you want, but I didn't want you to have to return to your old place. I want us to move on together."

Olivia blinked back a couple of tears. She tried to say thank-you, but her words caught in her throat. Instead, she turned in his arms and brought his face down to hers in a needy kiss.

"I love you," Olivia breathed against his lips. Her fingers were running through the curls at the nape of his neck.

"Really?" Fitz couldn't believe the most beautiful four words coming out of the most beautiful lips in the most beautiful voice of the most beautiful woman he had ever had the privilege to know.

"Really." She smiled as she reached up again to capture his lips in another kiss.

* * *

**So… Olivia said the 'L' word! Don't forget to leave a couple words below letting me know what you think!**

**I just want to give you guys a heads up that I won't be able to update for a little while. I'm going to be on vacation in California (eeeeeeeek!) for a week. I'll probably write the next chapter before I leave, but I probably won't get around to actually publishing it until afterwards, so expect an update around July 17****th**** ish (I know that date is far away, but think of it as a time gap in the story, too).**


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